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Zimbabwe: A Week of Anxiety over Elections Ends in ‘Still No Results’

It has certainly been a whirling week intertwined with anxiety, excitement, hope, and fear. Zimbabwe’s political scene has started to resemble a well-written suspense story, but this time there are no guarantees of a happy ending. As of Friday April 4, the only election results that had been officially announced were those for the House of Assembly. The opposition’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) won majority of seats (99) against the Zanu-PF (97 seats). A smaller faction of MDC won ten seats with four seats going to independent or undeclared candidates [1]. This alone constitutes a major mile stone for the opposition: For the first time since independence, Zanu-PF does not have majority in the House of Assembly [2]. This win is significant as it lessens the ruling party’s grip on power. However, as the president holds veto power over the parliament, the opposition’s chances at influencing Zimbabwe’s future for the better could be greatly weakened if Robert Mugabe were to continue as the president.

Despite excessive international pressure, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission – staffed by Mugabe’s supporters – has refused to announce the rest of the results. According to the Commission, the results are being delayed because of “logistical problems”; it is taking extra long to count votes from four separate elections [3]. Meanwhile, the Zanu-PF held a top leadership meeting to discuss the situation. The outcome of the five hour meeting was this: President Mugabe will continue in the race should there be a run-off election [4]. A run-off poll is needed if none of the candidates receives over 50 per cent of votes. Curiously enough, despite the fact that the results have yet to be announced, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is already suggesting the second round election to be held on April 19th [5].

Believing it is unconstitutional to withhold the election results over six days [6], the MDC leadership took legal steps today to force the Electoral Commission to release the results [7]. The MDC has refused to believe a run-off election will be needed and has announced its candidate Morgan Tsvangirai as the winner of 50.3 per cent of the presidential vote. Independent projections have estimated Tsvangirai winning 49 per cent of the vote, with Mugabe at 42 per cent [8]. The election itself was widely criticized and reported to have been flawed: excess ballots were printed, dead voters registered, and a number of people voted in more than one district [9].

The aftermath of the Zimbabwe elections has attracted a tremendous amount of international attention. Change – in some form or shape – is under way and quite appropriately the international community is responding to the prospect of a healthier Zimbabwe. Tactics used by the West to intimidate the Mugabe regime are now being re-evaluated. In her New York Times editorial, Zimbabwean-born freelance writer Heidi Holland boldly states that “the West needs to change its approach to Mr. Mugabe”. According to her, years of sanctions and isolation have only fueled Mugabe’s propaganda against the West [10]. Similarly, Michelle Gavin, adjunct fellow for Africa at the Council on Foreign Relations, suggests that it is time to look past disapproving the current government and start planning the nation’s recovery and reconstruction [11].

The IIJD joins the international community in its demand for immediate release of the election results. In case a run-off poll is needed, we strongly urge the Zimbabwean government to push for a free and fair election. The current leadership must respect the voice of the people, and stop any engineering of the outcome of the election. The IIJD finds the international community’s response to the crisis appropriate and recommends that more focus is given to planning the reconstruction of Zimbabwe as a nation.

[1] BBC: Zanu-PF discusses Mugabe future

[2] BBC: Q&A: Zimbabwe elections

[3] Telegraph.co.uk: President Mugabe emerges as Zimbabwe election results further delayed

[4] Reuters: Party back Mugabe to contest poll runoff

[5] Reuters: Zimbabwe electoral body to decide new poll date

[6] VOA News: Mugabe to chair party politburo meeting today

[7] Association of Zimbabwe Journalists: MDC launches court bid to force election results out

[8] BBC: Zanu-PF discusses Mugabe future.

[9] CNN: Mugabe critics predict fraud in Zimbabwe elections

[10] New York Times: Make peace with Mugabe. Editorial by Heidi Holland.