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PA

Zimbabwe vote observers find election 'fell short' of standards

Zimbabweans went to the ballot box on Wednesday and Thursday in polling marred by delays.

FOREIGN POLL OBSERVERS have said Zimbabwe’s presidential and legislative elections failed to conform to regional and international standards, placing in doubt the credibility of the tense vote.

Zimbabweans went to the ballot box on Wednesday and Thursday in polling marred by delays. The vote took place against a backdrop of discontent at Zimbabwe’s economic crisis.

Regional and international observers listed concerns over the canning of opposition rallies, denial of accreditation to several foreign media, missing voters’ names from the roll at their polling station, biased state media and voter intimidation among the issues that sullied the election.

The head of the European Union observer mission, Fabio Massimo Castaldo, said the election “fell short of many regional and international standards”.

“Violence and intimidation resulted ultimately in a climate of fear,” he said.

Commonwealth observer mission chair Amina Mohamed, of Kenya, said overall the voting process was “well conducted and peaceful” but a “number of significant issues” impacted on the election’s “credibility” and “transparency”.

“Some aspects of the… election fell short of the requirements of the constitution of Zimbabwe, the electoral act and the SADC principles and guidelines governing democratic elections,” said head of the regional bloc’s delegation Nevers Mumba, a former Zambian vice president.

It was a rare rebuke from the 16-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) whose observers usually endorse polls in the member countries.

The ruling ZANU-PF party reacted angrily, dismissing the findings from western countries as “sanctimonious notions” coming from former colonial powers with no right to teach democracy to Zimbabwe.

“We are dismissive of the rumblings, the mouthing of Nevers Mumba,” party spokesman Christopher Mutsvangwa told a press conference in Harare, describing the head of the SADC mission as a biased “preacher”.

“We can’t be perfect. But there is definitely no ill will in our imperfections,” he said of the voting process.

The election is being watched across southern Africa as a test of support for 80-year-old President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ZANU-PF, whose 43-year rule has been battered by a moribund economy and charges of authoritarianism.

Voting was forced to stretch into an unprecedented second day over delays in printing of ballot papers in some key districts including in the opposition stronghold Harare.

According to a preliminary tally shown by state broadcaster ZBC yesterday evening, ZANU-PF was leading in the parliamentary race, having secured 125 of the 210 seats up for grabs under a first-past-the-post system, against 59 for the largest opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).

Another 60 seats are appointed through a party-list system of proportional representation.

The CCC, which had more than 100 of its campaign meetings banned, lashed the electoral process as “fundamentally flawed”.

Less than a quarter of polling stations in Harare — an opposition stronghold — opened on time on Wednesday, the first day of voting.

The problems forced Mnangagwa, who is seeking a second term, to issue a late-night directive extending the vote by another day.

Election authorities said they were still confident of announcing the final results before the Tuesday deadline.

CCC leader Nelson Chamisa slammed the delays as “a clear case of voter suppression, a classic case of Stone Age… rigging”.

Chamisa, 45, is the main challenger to Mnangagwa, 80, who came to power after a coup that deposed late ruler Robert Mugabe in 2017.

Meanwhile, 41 local monitors were arrested late at night on election day and had their computers and mobile phones confiscated by police who alleged the equipment was “used to unlawfully tabulate” results from polling stations, describing the activity as “subversive and criminal”.

Most of those arrested, mainly women and men in their 20s and early 30s who work for pro-democracy NGOs, arrived yesterday at a Harare court crammed into the back of an open white truck to appear before a magistrate.

As they waited in the sun, some waved and held back tears as they were greeted by a small group of family and friends.

“Police heavily armed with AK-47 rifles, truncheons and other assortments of weapons swooped on the accused and arrested them in a dragnet style,” defence lawyer Alec Muchadehama told the judge who set bail at $200 (185 euros).

The arrests add “to our grave concerns”, said the EU polls observer chief.

“At this stage it’s all pointing towards a disputed election,” said Kealeboga Maphunye, an African studies professor at the University of South Africa in an online debate organised by the South Africa-based Southern African Liaison Office.

© AFP 2023

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    Mute Colm Lyons
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:17 PM

    No mention of the paint bombs thrown at the republican memorial in Lurgan?

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    Mute munsterman
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:18 PM

    @Colm Lyons: well said

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jun 4th 2019, 8:05 AM

    @Colm Lyons: what’s that got to do with this particular vandalism? Bit of whataboutary….

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    Mute Frank Lloyd wright
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:44 PM

    Why are the journal not reporting on the ballymurphy inquiry in Belfast? BBC NI have coverage of this everyday.

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    Mute Beeb Stapelton
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 4:09 PM

    @Frank Lloyd wright: the BBC is a mouthpiece for Corbyn, and he is an apologist for the provos. always has been always will be. Under this dogma the pnly people murdered in NI were Catholic childeren.thus Ballymurphy is first on news forever.

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    Mute Cathal
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 8:48 PM

    @Frank Lloyd wright: Notice Tommy Gorman won’t do the reports on Ballymurphy,

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    Mute Jim Dunne
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:20 PM

    The memorial should be in the UK. I

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    Mute Oliver Jumelle
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:24 PM

    @Jim Dunne: it is! learn geography and history before commenting

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    Mute Tim Cookson
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:26 PM

    @Jim Dunne: It is in the UK isn’t it?

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    Mute Wild Goose
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:54 PM

    @Oliver Jumelle: No, it bloody well is not!

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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:20 PM

    @Wild Goose:
    It is, you may not like but untill a majority, north and south, agree with you the 6 counties are part of the UK.

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    Mute Stephen Blood
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:29 PM

    @Patrick Nolan: it’s not part of uk that’s why it says on there passports United Kingdom of Great Britain and
    N. Ireland

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    Mute Squiddley Diddley
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:31 PM

    @Stephen Blood: That’s exactly why its part of the UK. The UK comprises Great Britain AND Northern Ireland, and we voted to accept that.

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    Mute Squiddley Diddley
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 3:00 PM

    Short history lesson from Wikipedia for those confused:
    ] The medieval conquest and subsequent annexation of Wales by the Kingdom of England, followed by the unionbetween England and Scotland in 1707 to form the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the union in 1801 of Great Britain with the Kingdom of Ireland created the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the UK in 1922, leaving the present formulation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

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    Mute Red Pirate 71
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 3:20 PM

    @Oliver Jumelle: it’s not. The UK is he very construct of British imperialist colonial oppression that caused the deaths of these working class soldiers as they did the bidding of their aristocratic officers. Learn history before posting.

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    Mute Ronan Sexton
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 6:29 PM

    @Red Pirate 71: It is. Jesus, it’s not that complicated.

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    Mute Mike
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 9:02 PM

    @Stephen Blood: Christ man, can you read what you’re writing. You literally spelled out for yourself that Northern Ireland is part of the UK! I think what you mean to say is that N Ireland isn’t part of GB.

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jun 4th 2019, 8:06 AM

    @Jim Dunne: why? It is already

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jun 4th 2019, 8:06 AM

    @Wild Goose: haha in your mind ….

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jun 4th 2019, 8:07 AM

    @Stephen Blood: cop on to yourself

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jun 4th 2019, 8:09 AM

    @Red Pirate 71: can’t see a united Ireland for generations , sectarianism is alive and well on both sides.

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    Mute Ronan Skelly
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:22 PM

    It shouldn’t be there in the first place

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    Mute Yurty Tim
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:58 PM

    @Ronan Skelly: Why not? Isn’t that where they were blown to bits by two fellas hiding in a bush at the other side of the the water

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    Mute James Wallace
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 7:55 PM

    @Ronan Skelly: of course it should. A group of young lads died in a senseless, unnecessary conflict, young working class lads who most likely joined the army out of financial necessity. Their families are at least entitled to this memorial.

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jun 4th 2019, 8:10 AM

    @Ronan Skelly: why not? Very interested in your logic

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    Mute Ronan Skelly
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:21 PM

    The memorial should be in England, not Ireland

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    Mute James Wallace
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 7:56 PM

    @Ronan Skelly: simpleton

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jun 4th 2019, 8:11 AM

    @Ronan Skelly: bollocks

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    Mute Windom Earle
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:09 PM

    Attacking any monuments/memorials is the lowest of the low. We’ve seen a number of Blueshirt monuments attacked in recent years here. Disgusting behavior.

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    Mute jamesdecay
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:50 PM

    @Windom Earle: which blue shirt monuments? (Apart from Leo, obviously).

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    Mute Ronan Skelly
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:20 PM

    What do they expect? Perhaps they should have this memorial in their own country.

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    Mute James Wallace
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 8:17 PM

    @Ronan Skelly: it is

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jun 4th 2019, 8:15 AM

    @Ronan Skelly: it is or are you still in denial? Get used to it pal, while the majority want to stay in the UK they will and good luck to them. When they want to change it will be their decision , not rabid keyboard warriors. Ever think for a minute that BOTH sides would have accept the other sides heritage, Orange AND Green ? Can you see that happening? Serious question !

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    Mute Cooking School
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:39 PM

    This is a prime example of the disgrace of educational segregation in N Ireland. Why is it we can’t get the kids educated together and break this “us and them” identities forever?!

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    Mute David Garland
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:49 PM

    @Cooking School: Stick to the cooking.. Segregated education has nothing to do with it.. The British Army is still covering up the Atrocites it carried out North and South of the border.. There are marches all over the UK to show solidarity with a Solider who murdered Catholics during Bloody Sunday.. Maybe that’s why British Solider memorials are been destroyed..

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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:28 PM

    @Cooking School:
    Neither the DUP or SF want to de-segregate NI schools because it suits both extremes to re-enforce the “them versus mentality” to maintain support at the sectarian head count that NI elections usually are.
    That’s why, despite what they will say in public, the recent surge in support for the alliance party will worry both SF and the DUP.

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    Mute CJ Stewart
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:50 PM

    @Patrick Nolan: yep..stick to the cooking ..

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    Mute Yurty Tim
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:56 PM

    @David Garland: *being

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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 6:24 PM

    @CJ Stewart:
    ??

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    Mute Cathal
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 8:53 PM

    @Cooking School: Free Presbyterians have their own schools, be like letting the Klan teach your kids, still had corporal punishment in the late nineties, maybe still have.

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jun 4th 2019, 8:16 AM

    @David Garland: or maybe just mindless vandalism?

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    Mute Ronan Skelly
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:21 PM

    The memorial should be in their own country

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    Mute James Wallace
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 8:17 PM

    @Ronan Skelly: it still is

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    Mute ÓDuibhír Abú
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:10 PM

    Monument’s for Flowers to wither and blow away, ‘till another day.!!

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    Mute TamuMassif2019
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 11:41 PM

    Sometimes these memorials are used as a way to provoke hatred, remembering the group of men as the British army who were responsible for the killings of Bloody Sunday, Ballymurphy as well as the Dublin and Monaghan killings. What if this memorial was to those who died in the IRA? Facts get washed away to create a false history, history is used to create culture and actions based on beliefs not facts.

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    Mute Jim Dunne
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    Jun 4th 2019, 3:30 AM

    It’s because we read history and geography , we know that the six counties,/the province/“ulster” , is NOT part of the UK.
    And any soldier who unfortunately lost their life there are part of a colonial oppressive army of occupation.
    So no irish person needs a history lesson from a myopic ignorant English man

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jun 4th 2019, 8:18 AM

    Actually Northern Ireland IS part of the UK, like it or not and only NI people can change that.

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