Election Update 2005 Zimbabwe

ELECTION UPDATE 2005 ZIMBABWE number 3 25 April 2005 contents Introduction 1 Polling Stations 1 Secrecy of the Ballot 2 Election Material 4 Counting 5 Announcement of Results 6 POST ELECTION REVIEW 6 New Parliament 10 AN EVALUATION OF THE 2005 GENERAL ELECTION 11 Conclusion 15 Compiled by Choice Ndoro EISA Editorial Team Jackie Kalley, Khabele Matlosa, Denis Kadima Published with the assistance of New Zealand High Commission Introduction free and fair elections, the (International Law And organisation and Practice: Free And Fair Although the fairness of an management of elections Elections, 1994). election is unlikely to be also includes the opening determined solely by and closing of polling Polling Stations reference to what happens on stations at stated times, the the Election Day, the actual arrangement of booths and The following table indicates process of balloting deserves the orderly movement of the distribution of polling particular attention. Among voters, the identification and stations per province for the other issues, balloting raises verification of voters and an 2005 General Election in the question of polling established procedure for Zimbabwe: stations and their objection and challenge. accessibility for the PROVINCE NO Also important is the Harare 533 population, the presence of marking of ballot papers out Bulawayo 210 competent staff vested in the of sight of officials or other Manicaland 1125 procedures of voting, the Mashonaland voters, the deposit of marked 825 presence of party ballots and the use of Central representatives , secrecy of indelible ink in order to Mashonaland East 1155 the act of voting and secrecy Mashonaland West 982 prevent double voting. The Masvingo 1021 of the ballot box, the counting process in turn Matebeleland North 632 integrity of the counting requires measures to ensure Matebeleland South 681 process and its translation that the ballot boxes are Midlands 1181 Source: The Herald, 22 March 2005 into a genuine political empty before voting begins result. According to and that counting is done A total of 8 300 polling international standards of fairly and transparently stations were used during the election update 2005 Zimbabwe number 3 general election. In the urban Opposition parties suffrage, which requires that areas there was an average of complained that some of the no vote shall have greater 30 polling stations while the polling stations were in non value than any other vote. rural areas had an average of neutral areas like the chief The principle also includes about 90. Although the and herdsmen‘s homesteads the use of indelible ink opposition parties who are perceived to be for during voting to avoid complained that the ruling the status quo. Some of the double voting. Secrecy of party had deliberately polling stations indicated in ballot also entails free voting increased polling stations in the Gazette were not there on procedures, which includes the rural areas to benefit the day of polling. The the use of booths during them, it may be concluded government printed the final voting. This principle that the geographical list of polling stations adding automatically disqualifies the dispersion of villages in the two more constituencies in use of the public queuing rural areas necessitated the Gweru urban, this was said system where voters queue increase. This was also a to be an omission in the behind the photograph of result of the adoption of the previous publication. The their preferred candidate. one-day polling strategy final list of polling stations Poor layout of polling instead of the traditional two was only available on polling stations, inadequate screens days. day. There was no evidence and insufficient management put forward that intimidation of voting streams In the general election in took place at those non compromises the concept of Zimbabwe, voting neutral places on polling secrecy of the ballot. The commenced at 0700 hours, day. process of marking of the some voters had been ballot papers of illiterate queuing from 0500 hours. Secrecy of the Ballot voters in the presence of After around midday, queues election agents is vital to became shorter and most Secrecy of the ballot is one ensure secrecy. The polling stations were aspect of fundamental rules Zimbabwean electoral deserted. In most provinces, relating to the exercise of system is somewhat similar reports were submitted that electoral rights. Also to the British system, in that there were no more voters included is the aspect of non both systems use the coming to vote. Polling discrimination which Presiding Officer who is in ended at 1900 hours on 31 requires that no one shall be charge of the electoral March 2005 as stipulated in denied or prejudiced in the process, on duty police, the the Electoral Act. There exercise of rights for reasons candidates as well as polling were no remaining potential such as race, colour, sex, and election agents (op cit, voters when the polls closed. language , religion, political , 1994). place of origin or other Verification and balancing of status. Access does not only The presence of international ballots commenced at 2200 mean physical access but observers and non partisan hours the same day and also freedom from violence civic organisations help in announcement of results and intimidation, obstruction building voter confidence took place on 1 April around by police and other extra- and ensures the integrity of 0400 hours. The efficient governmental forces and the voting system. A report voting process was a result convenient polling booths on the Malawian voting of the added number of (ibid, 1994). process in 1993 noted that polling stations in both rural domestic monitors are an and urban constituencies and Also implied in the important key to the fairness also the efficiency of polling international legal principle of any election, as they are a officers. is the aspect of equal check against errors, 2 election update 2005 Zimbabwe number 3 misconduct and fraud ballot boxes at every polling Unlike the 2000 and 2002 because their very presence station were emptied to elections, there were no limit opportunities for wrong satisfy all concerned that the reported cases of the police doing. Effective local boxes were truly empty. or extra-governmental forces monitors either party There was no single case obstructing and intimidating officials or recognised reported where there was a voters. Universal suffrage impartial officials appear possibility that the ballot was exercised where all likely to satisfy national boxes were staffed with votes cast had the same aspirations for a free and fair ballot papers before voting value. Secrecy of the ballot electoral system. Secrecy of began. Presiding officers was ensured through the use the ballot also entails a who were mandated to seal of booths which were well correct arrangement of the ballot boxes upon covered and ensured the free polling stations, that the completion of voting were exercise of one’s right. ballot box is empty before able to carry out their task polling, checking against encountering no problems. The use of indelible ink was impersonation of voters and introduced in the 2005 checking to see that no one is During the 2005 elections whereas in denied the right to vote for Parliamentary election, previous elections there was any apparent reason, registered voters were able to the use of invisible ink and ensuring the vote is truly cast their vote irrespective of the Ultra Violet (UV) light to secret, preventing their race, colour, political determine who would have campaigning and affiliation, and sex or voted and who had not. The intimidation around polling otherwise. previous system was stations and in queues, condemned because there observing the counting and Minor cases of voter were allegations that only verification of votes cast as intimidation were reported one person operating the UV well as checking for any during the polling day. For would determine such and tampering of ballot boxes. example, in Glendale an allegations of partisan opposition supporter was officials operating the UV Electoral Act 2:13 stipulates attacked by a ruling party were levelled against the that polling should take place supporter in full view of the government. The use of over one day, from 0700 police and polling officials. indelible ink ensured that the hours to 1900 hours, and any He sustained injuries and ink was visible to every one voter who is in the queue at was referred to a central and thereby reducing the the time of closing the polls hospital for treatment. In chances of double voting. should be permitted to vote. another incident in Insiza, Allegations that there were This is clearly in line with the ruling party candidate some people who used a international standards of shot at an opposition concoction of chemicals to free and fair election candidate who fled and hid remove the ink and voted management. The elections for a couple of hours before twice were levelled against in Zimbabwe which took resurfacing to observe the the government. It is alleged place on 31 March adhered election on the polling day. that the South African to recognised principles as In both instances the police observer mission was far as opening and closing of intervened although it was challenged to witness the polling stations is concerned. not clear what actions were cleansing process and they By midday the majority of taken by the police against refused. The allegations were people had cast their votes. the ruling party candidate never substantiated. who fired shots. The same Thirty minutes before the candidate had done the same There were three voting commencement of polling all act during primary elections. queues, each containing at 3 election update 2005 Zimbabwe number 3 least one ballot box, retained by the Presiding The indelible ink replaced allocated for the use of Officer who immediately the invisible ink that was voters whose surnames cancelled it.

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