The Zimbabwe Guardian (London)
Robin Mathews
31 March 2008
Harare — Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson George Chiweshe has broken the electoral body's silence on announcing election results saying the outcome of the synchronized presidential and legislative polls would be made public starting 0600 (0500GMT) hours Monday.
The ZEC chief told a live state television broadcast late Sunday night that his commission was still reconciling the votes before making public pronouncements.
"We need to make sure that what we are telling people the correct result so we are being responsible", said the ZEC. "The commission is a constitutional body and we think we have to do what are supposed to do without interference".
Chiweshe said that his commission was the only body entitled to announce the results. The ZEC chief had earlier warned the MDC against declaring its candidates winners in some constituencies. Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri also warned that political parties should not make such announcements but the MDC had defied him.
Chiweshe - who was mobbed by journalists earlier on Sunday who wanted to seek clarification as to what was causing the delay in announcing the results of the election - threatened to stop speaking to journalists if they were aggressive.
"I have to make it clear that the commission has been very accessible to journalists and media houses both those that that are here and those that are not physically represented here", said Chiweshe. "But if journalists continue with such behavior, I want to make it clear that the commission would have no business with them".
Critics have said the delay would allow President Robert Mugabe to rig in his favor. But the Zimbabwe National Students Union has warned that it would mobilize Zimbabweans to stage massive nationwide protests if Mugabe manipulates the poll.
During the run up to Saturday's polls, Mugabe told a rally at Murombedzi Growth Point in Zvimba that state security agents would be out in full force to crash any protests.
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I concur with you my friend. I am a Zambian studying in the US and i have been following some African events very closely especially the Zimbambwean issue. My own sister is married to a man from Zimbabwe and they live in Lusaka. I am deeply concerned about Mr. Mugabe's everlasting cling to power. With dew respect, i think it is high time for him to leave power in fresh hands. Jut see how Zimbabwe used to be, and what it is right now. It's a mess! I think if Mr. Mugabe decided to assume power again, it would… [Read Full Text]
I am a Kenyan proffessional living and working in the US. with a piece of advice for 'comrade' Mugabe, please borrow a leaf from Daniel Arap Moi, the former president of Kenya, and go home. You and I know that you have outlived your usefulness. I fear for you and you cohorts for the day that patriotic Zimbabweans who you have taken for a ride for such a long time will decide enough is enough. Guess what, that time is now. Please go peacifully before you embarass yourself any further.
It is misleading by Samusiko to say, "Everyone in Zambia is ready to see Mugabe's exit." Let us allow Zimbabweans to decide their own destiny. Just like it happened during elections in Zambia when the people's will prevailed. The electrorate are the citizens of that country and whoever emerges as winner will have been chosen by the people of that country. It therefore shouldn't matter to Zambia who wins the elections in Zimbabwe. The elected one will still be congratulated. Bofan, Kitwe, Zambia.
Bofan, You say we should "all let us allow Zimbabweans to decide their own destiny" THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT PEOPLE THE WORLD OVER WANT! The question is WILL MUGABE ALLOW ZIMBABWEANS TO DECIDE THEIR OWN DESTINY?
The world is just discovering that Zimbabwe is so free,so free that idiots are free to expose their idiocy.Any person who expected Zimbabwe to release results from such a mammoth 3-in-1 election in less that three days is either simply a dishonest ignoramus or a plain idiot.Nowhere in the third world have results of an election of such magnitude been released quicker. And for MDC's Tendai Biti to make claims of victory without explaining how he managed to collect and collate results from 9000 polling stations is an act of lunatic irresponsibility.For God's sake,the man spent months negotiating with Zanu… [Read Full Text]
Could some one educate me about vote rigging. I understand that before ballots are counted, they are matched to the stabs from which they originate to make sure that only the correct number of authentic ballots are included. Here the election agents of each candidate will be present until the ballots are counted, then results are displayed at the polling station and forwarded to the command centre for official announcements to the nation. So where, how and when is Mugabe going to rig.
Ok,here's how the Kikuyu goons in Kenya did it and I think Mugabe's idiots are doing the same.The command centre my friend,thats where the numbers shoot upwards by tens of thousands per constituency.Of course the police will guard the ballots for sometime after elections,you'll be glued to your TV set expecting an announcement,enough time to cover up well just incase a recount is necessary. Why do you think the machetes were made? Slaughter ,slaughter the people whose interests Mugabe is defending,Pick AK47s,Teach Mugabe people a lesson before the US arrests him and bring Zims to sanity,Kenyans are real pacesetters,DEMOCRACY… [Read Full Text]
President Mugabe shuld just pack and leave the state house.Everyone in zambia is ready to see mugabe's exit.let people with fresh ideas to repair Mugabe's mess.
Samusiko,lusaka,Zambia