Zimbabweans are waiting for official results from yesterday’s presidential elections but President Robert Mugabe’s ruling ZANU-PF party seems confident of victory.
We’ve spent weeks investigating the run-up to the poll as well as informally watching the voting, and what we saw supports wider concerns raised today by local monitors. They report that a high number of “ghost” or duplicate voters were present on the voters’ roll and that large numbers of people were unfairly turned away from polling stations.
In the run-up to election day, we documented major flaws in the electoral process, including highly partisan statements by high-ranking members of the security forces, restrictions on and intimidation of journalists and civil society activists, and a skewed voter registration process that made it difficult for those perceived to be opposition supporters to register.
These flaws and irregularities call into question the credibility and fairness of the election. Serious allegations like these should be fully and independently investigated before the electoral authorities declare an outcome.
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All this rush to an election by Mugabe as if the sky was falling. It would have taken great credibility on the part of Zanu-PF to have gone by the book making every implementation required and making sure that all flaws were ironed out including ghost voters. Mugabe was warned by the west that everything must be on the up or Zimbabwe will be in deep shit if Mugabe is found wanting during this election.
So kjrs120
Aug 1 2013, 22:29 What you are insinuating? is it that the international community will not respect the attitude and manner Zimbabweans have displayed in making their choice? Well the international community has spent a fortune on MDC'S to enforce their Political will. in a manner that has astounded the world the election recorded a high turn out and there was no violence. the assertions being made by an incapacitated MDC cannot not be overruled by the show of discipline of the Zimbabweans notwithstanding the Sanctions called for by MDC which brought untold suffering to the nation While MDC officials fattened and plied themselves with wealth. What is the MDC going to do about the Millions of diaspora they sponsored to leave the country and are now suffering as third class citizens all over the world? fact a refugee whether he has status or not is still a refugee and therefore a third class citizen where ever he or she is and those ZIMBOS are doomed, check the stats in Australia,Uk,RSA and EU