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Statement on U.S. Embassy observation of Zimbabwean parliamentary elections
US Embassy in Zimbabwe
April 06, 2005

Read the United States Embassy's concerns over the tabulation of vote counts

On April 1, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said of Zimbabwe's parliamentary elections: "Although the campaign and election day itself were generally peaceful, the election process was not free and fair. The electoral playing field was heavily tilted in the government's favor. The independent press was muzzled; freedom of assembly was constrained; food was used as a weapon to sway hungry voters; and millions of Zimbabweans who have been forced by the nation's economic collapse to emigrate were disenfranchised."

The U.S. Government, along with many other governments that observed the 2000 and 2002 elections in Zimbabwe, was not invited to bring in outside observers. The U.S. Embassy, however, sent 25 teams of diplomats accredited as election observers by the Electoral Supervisory Commission (ESC) around the country during the pre-election period and on election day. On election day, U.S. Embassy teams observed more than 350 polling stations in 59 constituencies (list attached).

The U.S. Embassy observers noted several patterns of irregularities that raised concerns about the freeness and fairness of the process. Of particular concern was a lack of transparency in the tabulation of vote counts. U.S. observers were excluded from observing counts in four polling stations. Where they were admitted, observers and officials, including party representatives and neutral domestic observers, were locked in the polling station and not permitted to communicate with anyone outside. At the same time, uniformed police were observed communicating the vote tallies via radio and telephone.

In several observed instances, the presiding officer confiscated the notes of party polling agents and independent observers before letting them depart the polling station. In apparent contravention of Zimbabwean election law, results were not publicly posted before being forwarded to regional centers and at many stations were never posted at all. ZANU-PF agents and the police appeared to have improper roles in the supervision or conduct of the polling stations and in the operation of ZEC constituency tabulation centers. In several instances, Embassy observers witnessed uniformed police participating in the vote compilation instead of ZEC officials at the constituency tabulation centers.

In addition, some polling stations were located in areas that would be intimidating to some voters, such as next to police stations or within 200 meters of a ZANU-PF office. Some polling stations also appeared to be associated with the distribution of food. Finally, in many polling stations observed, the percentage of voters turned away was as high as 30%.

Compounding concern over the foregoing irregularities is the silence of the Zimbabwe Election Commission on crucial issues. It has failed to release the voting results of any polling stations. It has failed to explain why its initial release of totals of ballots cast only included six of the country's ten provinces, nor explained why it never released results for the remaining four provinces. Moreover, it has failed to explain why discrepancies between its announced figure for ballots cast in constituencies for those six provinces differed so drastically from the subsequently released official combined vote totals for candidates in the constituencies. We echo calls by the Zimbabwe Election Support Network and other observers for the ZEC to release this information as expeditiously as possible and note the absence of this information undermines confidence in the electoral process.

Constituencies observed by the U.S. Embassy during the March 2005 Parliamentary Elections
Bikita East
Bikita West
Bindura
Buhera South
Bulawayo East
Bulawayo South
Chegutu
Chimanimani
Chiredzi North
Chirumanzu
Chitungwiza
Dzivaresekwa
Emankandeni
Glen Norah
Gokwe Central
Gokwe North
Goromonzi
Goromonzi
Guruve South
Guruve South
Gwanda
Gweru Rural
Gweru Urban
Harare Central
Harare East
Harare North
Harare South
Highfield
Insiza
Kadoma
Kambuzuma
Lupane
Makokoba
Marondera
Masvingo Central
Masvingo Central
Masvingo North
Mazowe E
Mhondoro
Mt. Darwin North
Mt. Darwin South
Mudzi East
Mudzi West
Murehwa North
Mutare Central
Mutare North
Mutare South
Nyanga
Rushinga
Seke
Shurugwi
St. Mary's
Tsholotsho
UMP
Umzigwane
Zaka East
Zaka West
Zengeza
Zhombe

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