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Voting in today’s election in Zimbabwe has ended. As an election-night TV reporter once said, “The people have spoken; we just don’t know what they've said”. In this instance, since Robert Mugabe runs the country, we may never know.
Voting has closed in the most crucial election in Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, with many Zimbabweans desperate to end the misery of economic collapse under veteran President Robert Mugabe.
. . .
[T]he opposition says Mr Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF party planned to steal victory through multiple balloting by its supporters.
Some sources report that voting was surprisingly light at polling stations in rural areas, where opposition to Mugabe is generally stronger.
For the first time, people are voting for a new president, parliament, senate and local government councils simultaneously. Two opposition candidates – Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change and Simba Makoni, an independent – are challenging Mr. Mugabe, who has ruled the country since 1980.
. . .
The independent Zimbabwe Election Support Network says that voter turnout has been good so far.However, some commentators said they were surprised to see that so few voters lined up in rural areas where 60 percent of the population lives.
Zimbabwe-born Norman Geras, now Professor Emeritus in Politics at the University of Manchester, lists ten reasons for doubting that the election will be fair.
If none of the three candidates receives a majority, a run-off will be held between the two with the most votes.
The Zimbabwe Independent reported yesterday that Mugabe has already fixed the election.
A SECRET taskforce of security and electoral personnel has been put in place to ensure embattled President Robert Mugabe and his ruling Zanu PF win an absolute majority in tomorrow's high-stakes elections.
The team, headed by Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operatives tasked to ensure Mugabe "wins power, stays in power, and keeps power", will heavily influence the already flawed electoral process to secure a predetermined result, well-substantiated information obtained this week shows.
Speaking from the far side of the world, I think Mugabe will arrange to be proclaimed the winner. He has too much to lose if he leaves office, his pride and lust for power will not allow him to concede to either of his opponents, and he has a long track record of despotism and thuggery. The real question, in my view, is how the people of Zimbabwe will react to another Mugabe “victory”. Will they accept continued oppression and misery or will they take to the streets in numbers large enough to destabilise the government?
Thanks to Binks for the Pajamas Media link.
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Hummm, sounds like the ACC’s General Synod O7
Zimbabwe opposition claims victory…
Uncertainty and confusion reign in the wake of yesterday’s election in Zimbabwe. This morning the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) declared victory on the basis of partial returns. This was done in defiance of a pre-ele…
The only truly honest reflection of the Zimbabwean people’s will in the last decade came with the rejection of a Mugabe sponsored national referendum promoting increased power for the president and his ruling party.
Mugabe expected to win that vote and thus had not made provisions to falsify the referendum results.
That is when Mugabe woke up to reality. Democratic means were not going to keep him in power.
Since then Mugabe has stolen two elections through murder, intimidation, media manipulation and dishonest electoral practices.
In 2008 he has adopted new tactics.
He has allowed some media presence for opposition players. He has scaled down the intimidation. The number of murders is way lower. But he has upped his abuse of the election: – the voters’ roll; constituency demarcation; confusing the electorate; loyalists voting more than once; printing extra ballots; changing polling station results to allow party members to maintain seats, falsifying results in at least fifty percent of the national constituencies.
Despite this ‘rigging’ Mugabe has won less than forty percent of the 2008 vote.
It is naive to think that Mugabe would go to these lengths in order to concede.
He will shortly declare himself the victor.
Will Zimbabwe stand up to the dishonest dictator?
If so there will be a bloodbath.
If not, Zimbabwe will limp along its impoverished path…. until the next time.
It’s all a trifle sad.
It’s official: Zimbabwe’s ruling party has lost Parliament…
Results announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission show that Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party has lost control of the country’s House of Assembly. There is still no word on results of presidential voting.
Zimbabwe’s official el…