Zimbabwe: Presidential Poll Results - No Winner
Posted: Saturday, May 3, 2008
By Sydney Kawadza
May 03, 2008
The Herald
RESULTS of the March 29 presidential poll were announced yesterday with no winner of an absolute majority, automatically setting the stage for a second election between the two top candidates – Morgan Tsvangirai of MDC-T and President Mugabe of Zanu-PF – with the other two candidates eliminated.
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission constituency election officer for the presidential poll Mr Lovemore Sekeramayi said a second presidential election would be conducted between the two since no candidate had received the required majority of more than 50 percent of the valid votes cast.
"No candidate has received a majority of the total number of valid votes cast, the provisions of Section 110 (3) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13] do apply and a second election shall be held on a date to be advised by the Commission.
"According to Section 110 (4) of the Electoral Act, the two candidates who received the highest and next highest numbers of valid votes cast shall be eligible to contest in the second election.
"Accordingly, Tsvangirai and (President) Mugabe are eligible to contest in the second election," he said.
Zanu-PF, through President Mugabe's chief elections agent, Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa, immediately said it accepted the results although the party did not believe they reflected the expression of the people.
Tsvangirai's national election agent, Chris Mbanga, said although his party did not accept the final result, he still had to report back to his national executive.
According to ZEC results, Tsvangirai received 1 195 562 votes, representing 47,9 percent of the valid votes, while President Mugabe of Zanu-PF polled 1 079 730 votes, which is 43,2 percent of the valid votes.
Independent candidate Simba Makoni won 207 470 votes, which is 8,3 percent of the valid votes, with Langton Towungana, another independent candidate, polling 14 503 votes, translating to 0,6 percent of the valid votes.
A total of 39 975 ballots were spoilt while the percentage poll was calculated to be 42,7 percent.
Addressing a Press conference after the announcement of the results, Cde Mnangagwa said President Mugabe accepted the ZEC result and would stand as Zanu-PF candidate in the run-off.
"Following the announcement by ZEC in the first stage of the presidential election, I have to advise that the Zanu-PF presidential candidate, Cde Mugabe, accepts the results as announced and is offering himself for election in the pending presidential run-off whose date is yet to be announced," he said.
He, however, said the results did not reflect the genuine expression of the will of the Zimbabwean people.
"Given the many anomalies, malpractices, deflation of figures of Zanu-PF candidates as information was transmitted upwards, inflation of figures relating to opposition candidates as information was transmitted to higher command levels, multiple voting and people who are not on the voters' roll being allowed to vote, persons on voters' roll being turned away and not allowed to vote and irregularities in the manner that handicapped persons were assisted to vote," he said.
He said the anomalies were exposed in the sample recounting exercise that was undertaken at Zanu-PF's request by the ZEC in 21 constituencies.
The anomalies revealed a pattern in the management of the electoral process, which was biased against Zanu-PF and in favour of MDC, he said.
"In short, Zanu-PF and all its candidates, especially its presidential candidate, feel aggrieved and were greatly prejudiced by attempts by the MDC and its sponsors to tamper with the electoral system."
He said the Zimbabwe Election Support Network undertook voter education without the authority of ZEC and outside the legal framework.
"Evidence that has come to light indicates that ZESN voter educators were not, in fact, neutral and in any sense real voter educators but MDC party activists who masqueraded as voter educators to decampaign Zanu-PF while extolling the virtues of MDC (Tsvangirai)," he said.
He said there was also evidence that ZESN observers abandoned their observer status, becoming "conduits through which monies used in bribing and compromising certain electoral officials were channelled", while there is evidence that these funds were provided by the British and American governments.
Cde Mnangagwa said NGOs involved in distributing food abused their humanitarian role and used food as a weapon to decampaign Zanu-PF.
"There is unchallenged evidence that these NGOs, in the last food distributions they made just prior to the election date, advised voters that they will not resume food distributions after elections in the event that the electorate voted for Zanu-PF."
He said recounting in the 23 constituencies also revealed that electoral officers allowed multiple voting and voting by people not on the voters' roll while there was massive voter buying of traditional leadership by the opposition party.
Cde Mnangagwa said the overall operating electoral environment was poisoned against Zanu-PF as the elections were held against a backdrop of illegal Western-imposed sanctions to oust the ruling party from power while the people voted in an environment subjected to Western blackmail.
He said there was also massive funding of the opposition MDC-T and Makoni by the British, Australian and American governments including foreign corporates to influence and determine the
outcome of the elections.
The Zanu-PF legal affairs secretary said pirate radio stations intensified broadcasting into the country's airspace during the election period and were critical players in the electoral process over which ZEC and our laws had no control.
He said some newspapers, such as The Zimbabwean, stepped up supply and frequency and even took MDC-T colours to consolidate opinion for the opposition.
Cde Mnangagwa said Zanu-PF withheld seeking a recount in all constituencies to avoid disrupting the electoral process.
"Nevertheless, the party's candidates have filed petitions in 52 constituencies seeking the setting aside of the announced results and these petitions have been filed with the Electoral Court," he said.
He called on ZEC to institute appropriate measures to eliminate some of the anomalies in the pending presidential run-off.
Cde Mnangagwa said ZEC should allow polling agents to verify whether people intending to vote were on the voters' roll, whether they have already voted or not and ensure that the voter's name has been cancelled from the voters' roll.
They should ensure that fingers are dipped in the indelible ink, among other measures.
He said police officers are equipped to ensure no fraudulent activities take place in the polling station while polling agents should be present during compilation of the V23 Form to ensure accurate information is transmitted from V11 returns.
Apart from posting V11 returns outside polling stations polling agents should be supplied with carbon copies of the V11 and V23 forms to ensure transparency, he said.
Cde Mnangagwa urged the MDC-T to disband the democratic resistance committees to ensure a peaceful campaign in the run-off period.
"Zanu-PF is committed to a total peaceful environment before, during and after the run-off," he said.
He said the MDC had failed, during the presidential verification exercise, to prove its claims that it won the presidential ballot by 50,3 percent, a figure peddled to the world through the Western media.
"They failed dismally, often making arguments which were extremely ridiculous mathematically as it turned out their figures had no relationship at all with what was on V11 forms, which themselves were the primary source of information on the polls."
Mbanga, speaking shortly before the announcement of the results, brazenly claimed that the opposition party had been denied the opportunity to verify the results.
"ZEC wanted to put the burden of proof on us but it's their duty to prove the results," he said.
Prior to the verification process, ZEC announced that it had agreed with all parties that it would present its final results while it was the duty of objecting parties to prove their contrasting results.
----- Original Message -----From: kenneth harrowSent: 1/15/2011 9:20:26 PMSubject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: [Leonenet] Gbagbo Should LearnFrom Thislet me see if i understand this. mugabe ran zimbabwe with an iron fist; we saw jailings and beatings and intimidation, and despite this the claim below by someone clearly favoring the dictator indicates that tsangirai had at least a plurality. further, the claim that makoni's votes would go 100% is made without bothering to see how the people themselves might have voted.
finally, "british bosses," to justify dictatorship still further.
i hope tunisia provides a better lesson of street truth
ken
On 1/15/11 12:49 PM, Abdul Bangura wrote:Honorable Citizen Karmoh Sagba, as you already know, I was in Southern Africa when the last Zimbabwean election was held. While Morgan Tsangirai had a slight majority (48%) over Robert Mugabe (43%) and Simba Makoni in the first round, he knew that he would have lost the second round because Makoni's supporters were from Mugabe's party and were already enticed to support Mugabe. I was in South Africa during the talks that ensued. The most frustrating thing about the talks was that Tsangirai had to go out of the conference room to call his British bosses each time he had to make a decision.------- Original Message -----From: Toegondoe SagbahSent: 1/15/2011 11:39:56 AMSubject: Re: [Leonenet] Gbagbo Should Learn From ThisNo, no, no! Only Death Dictates the Demise of Dictators...at least that is always their wish.
Toegondoe Sagbah, FAT IDOF
Fighting Against TribalismIn Defence Of Fairness
From: Abdul Bangura <theai@earthlink.net>
To: Toegondoe Sagbah <mendemoi@yahoo.com>; leonenet@lists.umbc.edu; "USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com" <USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Sat, January 15, 2011 10:52:52 AM
Subject: Re: [Leonenet] Gbagbo Should Learn From This
When Zimbabweans, not the oyimbos/wazungu/pumuisia/an-potho, say so.----- Original Message -----From: Toegondoe SagbahSent: 1/14/2011 11:51:52 PMSubject: Re: [Leonenet] Gbagbo Should Learn From ThisWHEN WILL MUGABE GO?
Toegondoe Sagbah, FAT IDOF
Fighting Against TribalismIn Defence Of Fairness
From: Abdul Karim Bangura <theai@earthlink.net>
To: leonenet <leonenet@lists.umbc.edu>; "USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com" <USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Fri, January 14, 2011 9:49:10 PM
Subject: [Leonenet] Gbagbo Should Learn From This
No more pseudo-Pan-Afrikanist dictators in Afrika!!!
Friday, January 14, 2011 8:18:00 PM EST
Tunisians drive leader from power in mass uprising
EL ABIDINE ARAFAT – Photo: APTUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — After 23 years of iron-fisted rule, the president of Tunisia was driven from power Friday by violent protests over soaring unemployment and corruption. Virtually unprecedented in modern Arab history, the populist uprising sent an ominous message to authoritarian governments that dominate the region.
The office of Saudi King Abdullah confirmed early Saturday that ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his family had landed in Saudi Arabia, after several hours of mystery over his whereabouts. "As a result of the Saudi kingdom's respect for the exceptional circumstances the Tunisian people are going through, and with its wish for peace and security to return to the people of Tunis, we have welcomed" him, the statement said.
Tunisians buoyant over Ben Ali's ouster faced uncertainly, however, about what's next for the North African nation. The country was under the caretaker leadership of the prime minister who took control, the role of the army in the transition was unknown, and it was uncertain whether Ben Ali's departure would be enough to restore calm.
The ouster followed the country's largest protests in generations and weeks of escalating unrest, sparked by one man's suicide and fueled by social media, cell phones and young people who have seen relatively little benefit from Tunisia's recent economic growth. Thousands of demonstrators from all walks of life rejected Ben Ali's promises of change and mobbed Tunis, the capital, to demand that he leave.
The government said at least 23 people have been killed in the riots, but opposition members put the death toll at more than three times that.
On Friday, police repeatedly clashed with protesters, some of whom climbed onto the entrance roof of the dreaded Interior Ministry, widely believed for years to be a place where the regime's opponents were tortured.
With clouds of tear gas and black smoke drifting over the city's whitewashed buildings, Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi went on state television to announce that he was assuming power in this North African nation known mostly for its wide sandy beaches and ancient ruins.
"I take over the responsibilities temporarily of the leadership of the country at this difficult time to help restore security," Ghannouchi said in a solemn statement on state television. "I promise ... to respect the constitution, to work on reforming economic and social issues with care and to consult with all sides."
The prime minister, a longtime ally of the president, suggested that Ben Ali had willingly handed over control, but the exact circumstances were unclear.
In a string of last-ditch efforts to tamp down the unrest, Ben Ali dissolved the government and promised legislative elections within six months — a pledge that appeared to open at least the possibility of a new government. Before his removal of power was announced, he declared a state of emergency, including a curfew that was in effect Friday night and was to be lifted at 7 a.m. Saturday.
People in downtown Tunis appeared to be respecting the curfew, though there were isolated bursts of gunfire.
European tour companies moved thousands of tourists out of the country. Foreign airlines halted service to Tunisia, and said the country's airspace had been temporarily shut down.
Ben Ali's downfall sent a potentially frightening message to autocratic leaders across the Arab world, especially because he did not seem especially vulnerable until very recently.
He managed the economy of his small country of 10 million better than many other Middle Eastern nations grappling with calcified economies and booming, young populations. He turned Tunisia into a beach haven for tourists, helping create an area of stability in volatile North Africa. There was a lack of civil rights and little or no freedom of speech, but a better quality of life for many than in neighboring countries such as Algeria and Libya.
Ben Ali had won frequent praise from abroad for presiding over reforms to make the economy more competitive and attract business. Growth last year was at 3.1 percent.Unemployment, however, was officially measured at 14 percent, and was far higher — 52 percent — among the young. Despair among job-seeking young graduates was palpable.
The riots started after an educated but jobless 26-year-old committed suicide in mid-December when police confiscated the fruits and vegetables he was selling without a permit. His desperate act hit a nerve, sparked copycat suicides and focused generalized anger against the regime into a widespread, outright revolt.
The president tried vainly to hold onto power. On Thursday night he went on television to promise not to run for re-election in 2014 and slashed prices on key foods such as sugar, bread and milk.
Protesters gathered peacefully Friday in front of the Interior Ministry, but six hours after the demonstration began hundreds of police with shields and riot gear moved in. Helmeted police fired dozens of rounds of tear gas and kicked and clubbed unarmed protesters — one of whom cowered on the ground, covering his face.
An AP Television News reporter heard gunfire in the center of the Tunisian capital late Friday afternoon, in addition to the popping of tear gas pistols.
A few youths were spotted throwing stones, but most demonstrated calmly. Protesters were of all ages and from all walks of life, from students holding sit-ins in the middle of the street to doctors in white coats and black-robed lawyers waving posters.
"A month ago, we didn't believe this uprising was possible," said Beya Mannai, a geology professor at the University of Tunis. "But the people rose up."
"My first reaction is relief," said Dr. Souha Naija, a resident radiologist at Charles Nicole Hospital. "He's gone. ... I finally feel free."
"They got the message. The people don't want a dictator." However, she voiced concern for the future because, officially at least, Ben Ali vacated power only temporarily.
"It's ambiguous," she said.
Nejib Chebbi, a founder of the main legal opposition party, said the dramatic developments do not amount to a coup d'etat.
"It's an unannounced resignation," Chebbi said by telephone. To declare a permanent absence of a head of state, such as in a coup, elections would have to be held within 60 days, he said. "So they declare a temporary vacating of power."
U.S. President Barack Obama said he applauded the courage and dignity of protesting Tunisians, and urged all parties to keep calm and avoid violence.
Arabs across the region celebrated news of the Tunisian uprising on Twitter, Facebook and blogs. Thousands of tweets congratulating the Tunisian people flooded the Internet, and many people changed their profile pictures to Tunisian flags.
Egyptian activists opposed to President Hosni Mubarak's three-decade regime looked to the events in Tunisia with hope. About 50 gathered outside the Tunisian Embassy in Cairo to celebrate with singing and dancing. They chanted, "Ben Ali, tell Mubarak a plane is waiting for him, too!"
Swirling speculation about Ben Ali's location reached such a fevered pitch that the governments of France and Malta — just two of several countries where he was speculated to be heading — put out statements saying they have had no requests to accommodate him.
"We don't know where he is," opposition leader Chebbi said Friday evening. "The most probable thing is that he's left the country."
One French official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said the French government did not want Ben Ali there.
Ghannouchi is a 69-year-old economist who has been prime minister since 1999 and is among the best-known faces of Tunisia's government. He did not say anything about a coup or about the army being in charge.
Ben Ali, 74, came to power in a bloodless palace coup in 1987. He took over from a man called formally President-for-Life — Habib Bourguiba, the founder of modern-day Tunisia who set the Muslim country on a pro-Western course after independence from France in 1956.
Ben Ali removed Bourguiba from office for "incompetence," saying he had become too old, senile and sick to rule. Ben Ali promised then that his leadership would "open the horizons to a truly democratic and evolved political life."
But after a brief period of reforms, Tunisia's political evolution stopped.
Ben Ali consistently won elections with questionable tallies: In 2009, he was re-elected for a fifth five-year term with 89 percent of the vote — and that was the lowest official percentage of any of his victories. Before that vote, he had warned opponents they would face legal retaliation if they questioned the election's fairness.
U.S. diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks have called Tunisia a "police state" and described the corruption there, saying Ben Ali had lost touch with his people. Social networks like Facebook helped spread the comments to the delight of ordinary Tunisians, who have complained about the same issues for years.
Under Ben Ali, most opposition parties were illegal. Amnesty International said authorities infiltrated human rights groups and harassed dissenters. Reporters Without Borders described Ben Ali as a "press predator" who controlled the media.
There is little precedent in the Arab world for a ruler being ousted by street protests. In Sudan in 1985, a collapsing economy and other grievances sparked a popular uprising, although the government was eventually ousted by a military coup.
The closest parallel in the broader Middle East comes from Iran — which is not an Arab nation — where mass demonstrations helped topple the shah and usher in the Islamic Republic in 1979.
Tunisia's giant neighbor Algeria saw huge protests before it was shaken by a military coup in 1992, with a five-man leadership put in place after the army canceled the nation's first multiparty legislative elections, which a Muslim fundamentalist party was poised to win. The party, the Islamic Salvation Front, became a vehicle for popular dissent.
There were also massive demonstrations in Lebanon in 2005, dubbed the "Cedar Revolution," but those were directed against Syrian influence in the country and not the Lebanese government per se. The protests led to the withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon and the resignation of Lebanon's pro-Syrian prime minister and fresh elections.
Al-Qaida's North African offshoot appeared to try to capitalize on the Tunisian unrest, offering its support for protesters this week. There has been no sign of Islamic extremist involvement in the rioting.
You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin.
For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
For previous archives, visit http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue-
unsubscribe@googlegroups.com-- kenneth w. harrow distinguished professor of english michigan state university department of english east lansing, mi 48824-1036 ph. 517 803 8839 harrow@msu.edu--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin.
For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
For previous archives, visit http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue-
unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
No comments:
Post a Comment