1 zimbabwe election support network [zesn] - Nehanda Radio

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
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