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2008 harmonised elections - Index of articles
ZESN
Cannot validate ZEC results
Zimbabwe
Election Support Network
May 06, 2008
The Zimbabwe Election
Support Network (ZESN), a network of 38 non-governmental organisations,
which was observing aspects of the electoral process of the 29 March
2008 harmonised elections informs its members, stakeholders, partners
and the general public that it does not substantiate the exact figures
given by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) as presidential
results.
There have been calls
for ZESN to verify the presidential results that were announced
by ZEC on 2 May 2008. Taking cognisance of the fact that the ZEC
National Command Centre was closed on the 6th of April and only
to be open on the 1st of May for tabulation of Presidential results,
ZESN cannot substantiate ZEC figures as the network is not aware
of the chain of custody of the ballot materials during the aforementioned
period. In addition the delay to announce the results was a major
concern, not only to ZESN but the general public as well and this
obviously undermined the impartiality, credibility and transparency
of ZEC.
ZESN is also
aware that there was no transparency in the verification, collation
and tabulation of Presidential results, as party agents who are
required by the law to be present were not invited to witness the
process. The Second Schedule of the Electoral
Act, section 2 (2) and (3) provides that verification, collation
and tabulation of constituency returns should be done in the presence
of candidates their chief election agents and observers.
In addition ZEC failed
to avail information on the final number and distribution of polling
stations, distribution of postal votes, distribution of registered
voters at close of inspection on 14 February 2008, which again makes
it difficult for the network to ascertain and analyse the overall
distribution of results.
ZESN identified a total
of 11 808 observers to participate in the March 2008 Harmonised
Elections. These were drawn from the country's 10 provinces and
member organisation submitted names from 210 constituencies. Owing
to logistical challenges, only 8 667 observers were accredited and
subsequently deployed to observe the election in the 9 107 polling
stations announced by ZEC giving a potential percentage coverage
of 95%.
ZESN did not have observers
at all the announced polling stations but managed to collect most
of the results posted outside polling stations using mobile observers
deployed in the 210 constituencies. Rural and bigger constituencies
had 2 mobile teams of observers that visited each of the polling
stations to collect information and results. However the ZEC results
are within the range of ZESN projected percentages.
ZESN anticipates that
it will freely continue observing the election process, particularly
the run-off of the Presidential elections.
Visit the ZESN
fact
sheet
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