1 zimbabwe election support network [zesn] - Nehanda Radio

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Analysis of 27 June Poll Results Interestingly, the hasty with which the 27 June presidential poll results were processed and released cast a sharp contrast to the 29 March presidential poll. While it had taken 6 weeks to process and release the results of the March elections, the results were announced within 24 hours of polling and within 24 hours of the election, the winner, ruling party presidential candidate Robert Mugabe inaugurated and in the evening leaving for the African Union Summit in Egypt scheduled to begin on the 1 st of July 2008. Run-Off Presidential Results by Province PROVINCE ROBERT MUGABE MORGAN TSVANGIRAI REJECTED/SPOILT VOTES TOTAL VOTES BULAWAYO 21127 13291 9166 43584 MASH WEST 25699 18459 10821 285979 MASVINGO 321404 12804 7940 343948 MAT NORTH 84185 40099 9907 134 191 MAT SOUTH 92654 21687 7353 121694 MIDLANDS 302407 33555 19438 355400 MANICALAND 323284 29561 17525 370370 HARARE 156478 48307 36547 241232 MASH CENTRAL 276912 4066 3409 284387 MASH EAST 315119 11171 7675 333965 TOTAL 2 150 269 233 000 129 781 2 514 750 The Spoilt Ballot Vote Phenomenon Polling results were characterized by an extraordinarily high number of spoilt ballot papers with some reportedly carrying insulting language. Most spoiled papers were recorded in urban areas and incidentally in some of the provinces in which the MDC T had performed well in the March Harmonized Elections. According to the SADC Election Observer Mission, some spoiled ballot papers had expressions like God bless the country, Let there be free and fair elections, No to dictatorship, statements that reflect general dissatisfaction with the way the elections were conducted. In some instances, voters reportedly crossed the boxes for both presidential candidates and added the message that the two should govern the country together. Most of the hate messages were reportedly directed at the ZANU PF presidential candidate. When compared with the 29 March poll as shown below, the 27 June results cast an incomparable contrast. Comparison of the 29 March 27 June and Election Results PROVINCE MUGABE TSVANGIRAI MARCH JUNE DIFFERENCE MARCH JUNE DIFFERENCE SPOILT BULAWAYO 11118 21127 20009 49657 13291 36366 9166 HARARE 61215 156478 95263 227166 48307 178859 36547 MANICALAND 141592 323264 181692 212029 29561 182468 17525 MASH.CENTRAL 157626 276912 119286 75722 4066 71656 3409 MASH EAST 160965 315119 154154 119661 11717 107944 7675 MASH WEST 134730 256699 121969 107345 18459 88886 10821 MASVINGO 156672 321404 164732 145198 12804 132394 9740 MAT NORTH 42825 84185 41360 70611 400099 30512 9907 MAT SOUTH 46156 92654 46498 34885 21687 13198 7353 MIDLANDS 166831 302407 135576 153288 33555 119733 19438 233546 58
TOTAL 1 079730 2 150269 1 070539 1 195562 233 000 962 562 131 481 In the March elections Tsvangirai polled 1 195 562 votes against Mugabe’s 1079 730 while in the June Elections the opposition candidate got a paltry 233 000 votes compared to the 2 150 269 votes won by the ruling party candidate, a gap which was somehow unusual given the performance of the MDC candidate in the March poll. 131 481 spoiled ballot papers were recorded in the June Run Off compared to the 39 975 ballot papers spoiled in the 29 March Elections, again showing a disturbing increase in spoilt ballots. Provincial spread of spoilt ballots showed Harare with the highest number of 36 547, Midlands as second with 19 438 spoilt ballots, Manicaland third with 17 525, Mashonaland West forth with 10 821, Matebeleland North fifth with 9 907, Masvingo 9 740, Bulawayo 9 166, Mashonaland East 7 675, Matebeleland South 7 353 and Mashonaland Central with the lowest 3 409. Statistical spread also reflect significant drop in Tsvangirai’s votes in some of the provinces in which he had performed well in the March Elections, examples being Harare where Tsvangirai had 220 160 votes in March and 48 307 in June, Mashonaland East where Tsvangirai polled 4 066 in June compared to the 119 661 votes he won in the March Election. This unusual trend was also reflected in Bulawayo and Mashonaland West. Voter turnout was recorded as 42, 37% compared to 42.7% for March 29 th 2008. There were also significant changes in the voting patterns especially in the provinces that recorded massive political violence and intimidation. In provinces that experienced a lot of violence [Mashonaland Central], the number of spoilt ballots was significantly low pointing to possible guided voting. All in all, the unusually high number of “spoilt ballot” papers and the “unpalatable messages” reflect features of a ballot protest. It is like the Zimbabwean electorate was angrily hitting back or communicating a message or venting their frustrations through the ballot paper. Several interpretations emerge from these scenarios. Could it have been a protest against Tsvangirai’s pull out from the run off [given the retribution they had suffered in his name] or a protest against Mugabe [given that most derogatory messages were reportedly directed against him]? These voters may have used the ballot as a way of protesting against ZANU PF intimidation and retribution. For this spoiling the ballot paper was silent resistance in action. For those directing their anger at Tsvangirai, it could have been due to disappointment with his decision to pull out, a not so far- fetched possibility given the mixed reaction to his withdrawal. For these people, the withdrawal amounted to being abandoned by a leader in the pitch of a battle. Reviews of the 27 June Presidential Run Off The 27 June Election drew extensive condemnation, regionally and internationally. The SADC Election Observer Mission [SEOM Report expressed concern that that “the prevailing environment impinged on the credibility of the electoral process” and on the basis of these findings concluded that the “election did not represent the will of the people of Zimbabwe”. The Pan-African Parliament Election Observer Mission Report, after highlighting its grave concern on countrywide traces of politically motivated violence, underlined that “the current atmosphere prevailing in the country did not give rise to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections” and urged that “conditions should be put in place for holding of free, fair, and credible elections as soon as possible in line with the African Union Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections”. The Report went on to urge the SADC leaders working 59
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ZIMBABWE ELECTION SUPPORT NETWORK [
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• Voting ------------------------
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where they can choose from availabl
Page 7 and 8: ACRONYMS AIPPA : Access to Informat
Page 9 and 10: The delay was so unprecedented that
Page 11 and 12: changes to boundaries [ward and con
Page 13 and 14: management capacity. Also imperativ
Page 15 and 16: emergence and participation of ZUM
Page 17 and 18: generally perceived to be strong MD
Page 19 and 20: forms, increased access of oppositi
Page 21 and 22: Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. Unde
Page 23 and 24: Legality of the 27June Run- Off Ele
Page 25 and 26: the Constitution. It also claimed t
Page 27 and 28: any time after the publication of t
Page 29 and 30: The Electoral Act also allows polli
Page 31 and 32: to such person observing the electi
Page 33 and 34: However, the list contained signifi
Page 35 and 36: challenging the nomination court da
Page 37 and 38: It is also instructive to note that
Page 39 and 40: IDs], failure to produce foreign ci
Page 41 and 42: Counting and Tabulation of Election
Page 43 and 44: MDC 6 SEATS TOTAL NUMBER OF SEATS 6
Page 45 and 46: Emerging Issues on Counting of Vote
Page 47 and 48: Province Gabriel Langton Cast BULAW
Page 49 and 50: Trends and Patterns of Violence In
Page 51 and 52: Various statements were subsequentl
Page 53 and 54: continued up to the 22 nd June with
Page 55 and 56: the election, exhorting the two pol
Page 57: By- Election Candidates and Contest
Page 61 and 62: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Elec
Page 63 and 64: elections could have seriously comp
Page 65 and 66: of Assembly and Senate] boundaries.
Page 67 and 68: ecommended that the doctrine of sec
Page 69 and 70: Traditional Leaders police, army, p
Page 71 and 72: References Chirambo K and McCullum
Page 73 and 74: Luveve Magwegwe Makokoba Nketa Masu
Page 75 and 76: Harare North Harare South Harare We
Page 77 and 78: Zengeza West Glenview North Tivatyi
Page 79 and 80: Mutasa Central Mutasa North Mutasa
Page 81 and 82: Constituency Candidate Party Chibiz
Page 83 and 84: Chegutu West Norton Mhondoro - Muba
Page 85 and 86: Chiredzi West Chiredzi East Chivi C
Page 87 and 88: Binga South Bubi Umguza Hwange East
Page 89 and 90: Mangwe Ndlovu Ready MDC Tsvangirai
Page 91 and 92: Mberengwa East Mberengwa West Marim
Page 93 and 94: Harare Metropolitan Province Consti
Page 95 and 96: Makonde Murevanemwe Nurse ZANU PF D
Page 97 and 98: Gokwe Sengwa Siachingoma Bernard MD
Page 99 and 100: ANNEXURE 4: March 29 Local Authorit
Page 101 and 102: 18 Ndhlovu Benjamin MDC Tsvangirai
Page 103 and 104: 8 Muchawaya Obert MDC Tsvangirai 14
Page 105 and 106: 6 Tawa Richard MDC Tsvangirai 682 T
Page 107 and 108: 27 Gomba Hebert MDC Tsvangirai 4632
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12 Mhlanga James ZANU PF 1189 Mhlan
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10 Njanji Eddie ZANU PF 407 Njanji
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19 Mlambo Patience MDC Tsvangirai 1
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10 Chimbira Shepherd Siyayi ZANU PF
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4 Gombakomba Johane Independent 142
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17 Maposa Susan ZANU PF 503 17 Saun
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14 Ndiraya Patience Mildred MDC Tsv
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15 Nyarugwe Peter MDC Tsvangirai 11
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10 Makombe Wellington ZANU PF 240 1
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21 Zebediah Erina MDC Tsvangirai 29
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10 Mutukwa Norman ZANU PF 446 10 Mu
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2 Hwatura Farirai MDC Tsvangirai 42
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33 Arishandi Vengai MDC Tsvangirai
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7 Mbera Patrick MDC Tsvangirai 150
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12 Munyongani Augustine Fungai ZANU
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10 Gamu Harold Muhlwa James Norman
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16 Chikonyora Kudzanai ZANU PF 917
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5 Kabunze Batsirai MDC Tsvangirai 5
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8 Muwodzeri Thomas MDC Tsvangirai 8
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11 Chabvepi Stanley ZANU PF 654 11
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28 Mlambo Marko MDC Tsvangirai 518
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1 Garabha Leonard MDC Tsvangirai 24
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38 Jinga Daniel Nenji MDC Tsvangira
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15 Gangata Simon Joram ZANU PF 602
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17 Machipisa Albert MDC Tsvangirai
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3 Mayishome Lois ZANU PF 553 3 Chin
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14 Mlotshwa Chipo MDC Tsvangirai 49
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7 Hwindiri Nicholas MDC Tsvangirai
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16 Madoda Gilbert ZANU PF 385 16 Ma
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15 Chinyaure Norman ZANU PF 183 Chi
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17 Themba Munkombwe MDC Tsvangirai
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9 Chipembere Trinity MDC 105 9 Ndlo
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2 Xolani Mhlophe MDC 241 Xolani Mhl
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5 Zaphania Nkomo ZANU PF 318 5 Zeph
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9 Smile Sibanga Ncube ZANU PF 294 9
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7 Raphael Ncube ZANU PF 110 8 Ngkos
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1 zimbabwe election support network [zesn] - Nehanda Radio

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