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This article participates on the following special index pages:
2008 harmonised elections - Index of articles
Growing
tension in Zimbabwe as full election results still not declared
International
development agencies
April 03, 2008
International
development agencies, Progressio, Tearfund, Trócaire, the
Foundation for Development and Partnership in Africa (FEPA), and
Christian Aid warn that Zimbabwe is becoming increasingly tense
as election results continue to hang in the balance.
All five agencies
are deeply concerned about the counting and tabulation of votes
cast in Zimbabwe's March 29th elections despite the results
of the parliamentary elections being declared yesterday. The failure
of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to adequately explain
the delays in releasing official results and the discrepancies between
ZEC tallies of votes cast and those of independent observers are
leading to increasing the risk of heightened tension in the country.
Noel Kututwa,
Chairperson of Zimbabwe
Election Support Network (ZESN) said in a general statement:
'While it is the responsibility of ZEC to announce the official
results of the election, it is the legal duty of election observers
to provide the people of Zimbabwe with independent non-partisan
information on all aspects of the electoral process'
Specifically
our partner agencies in Zimbabwe state that Zimbabweans feel betrayed
by the failure of ZEC to declare the results of the presidential
elections. We are concerned that:
- After 5 days,
there has still been no announcement of presidential poll results.
Results of parliamentary and senatorial polls were displayed at
polling stations as early as 23h00 on Saturday 29th March and,
since by law this constitutes the legal declaration, it is difficult
to understand why ZEC insisted on the laborious process of broadcasting
these results to the nation rather than moving on counting and
tabulation of ballots pertaining to the presidential poll. This
slow release of results continues to fuel well-founded fears that
the official results have been tampered with;
- Members of
the SADC observer mission left Harare prior to the official announcement
of polls and did not observe the counting and tabulation of results.
The SADC mission on Sunday stated that the 'will of the
people had prevailed'. We regard this as premature given
that an election is only concluded when the results have been
communicated to and accepted as true by the electorate.
- The departure
of the SADC observer mission prior to announcement of results
constitutes a violation of their mandate as laid out in SADC guidelines
for observing elections. It also differs from previous years when
regional observer teams were deployed to observe voting and counting
processes.
In light of
these concerns and of the current dispute about the presidential
poll, the five agencies call for:
- The presidential
election results to be published forthwith;
- An external
mediation team of reputed individuals from the region to assist
with the talks between Zanu PF and MDC in the event of a disputed
outcome. The team should be prepared to support a full audit of
the polls as called for by Zimbabwe civil society and churches
in a petition to SADC yesterday;
- The upholding
of the rule of law in relation to any possible second round run-off
of the presidential elections. The repeal of existing law and/or
the gazetting of regulations to override existing legislation
must be opposed on the grounds that this will provide legislative
uncertainty and threaten the integrity of the electoral process;
- SADC leadership,
in coordination with the African Union, to re-engage formally
at this stage of the electoral process. Along with political leaders
in the country, leaders in the region must be appealing for declaration
of results and for peace and calm to prevail;
- The protection
of the fundamental rights and freedoms of the citizens of Zimbabwe
during this ongoing electoral period is vital. The impartiality
of the security forces will be vital as will removing threats
of paramilitary violence.
The Zimbabwe
Christian Alliance, which works closely with us, is sending delegations
to the region. According to delegation member Reverend Albert Chatindo:
"We don't want any bloodshed so this is an effort that
we are taking as church leaders to ask SADC and the AU to intervene.
The church stands for the suffering people of Zimbabwe and they
are continuing to suffer as they wait for the results. We are concerned
that the possibility of violence is increasing."
- Progressio is an international development agency working for
sustainable development and the eradication of poverty. www.progressio.org.uk
- Tearfund is
a Christian relief and development agency working with a global
network of local churches to help eradicate poverty. www.tearfund.org
- Trócaire
is an Irish charity & development agency working for a just
world. www.trocaire.org
- FEPA is the
Foundation for Development and Partnership in Africa. It is based
in Switzerland and has worked in Zimbabwe for many years.
- Christian
Aid is the official relief, development and advocacy agency of Protestant
churches in Britain and Ireland and works in more than 50 countries.
www.christianaid.org.uk
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