AHEAD of the August 23 harmonised elections, the European Union Election Observer Mission (EUEOM) had already prepared – in cahoots with the country’s opposition – a damning dossier that was filled with lies, hearsay, and innuendo.
In a report gleaned by this publication, the EU came with a predetermined position to soil Zimbabwe’s image as well as the polls’ credibility.
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Book NowConsequently, their report on the elections was marred by inconsistencies and clear falsehoods to discredit Zimbabwe as a mature democracy.
From the report, it is clear that if President Mnangagwa had lost the elections, they would have concluded that the elections were the most credible polls ever held on African soil.
However, their favoured outcome did not come to fruition, much to their disgruntlement.
In one of its glaring false claims, the EU claimed that Zimbabwe’s Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Nick Mangwana was also the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s spokesperson.
“ZEC independence remains sketchy, resulting in a compromised election process that lacks transparency, independence, fairness, and credibility at all stages of the electoral process.
“The Government’s secretary of information issues contradictory statements and doubles up as ZEC spokesperson. The fact that Mr Mnangagwa prepared to address the State soon after announcement of results indicated a pre-discussed and determined declaration process.
“In light of the above, the EOM notes in particular the systemic bias against political opposition during the pre-election period,” reads the report.
The bloc’s observer team falsely claimed that ZEC officials had been pressured to sign changed polling station result forms.
“Reports received from other interlocutors including some ZEC officials indicate that ZEC officials pressured election observers/agents to sign altered polling station result forms, those who agreed were given thank you allowances of between US$300 and US$600.
“Mr Mnangagwa lacks appeal to many Zimbabweans, as the majority of the interviewed individuals cited a number of negative elements as compared to the positives.
“The negative issues were cited by ordinary citizens, CSOs, opposition parties and key ruling party elements of which some of them were serving as Members of Parliament, a pointer of suppressed internal grievances, creating room for other members to be working with disqualified presidential candidate Saviour Kasukuwere,” reads the report.
Their report also claimed that the general polls had been “marred with a number of irregularities”, an allegation that is not true as only a few glitches were experienced countrywide.
What makes this false claim even worse is that all the other observer missions, both foreign and domestic, and even the electorate, had noted that the polls had gone on well and peacefully with only a few glitches experienced countrywide.
“Like other electoral processes in Zimbabwe, the August 23 election was marred with a number of irregularities, viewed as a strategic move being used to frustrate the urban vote at the expense of the rural vote. On the E-Day some candidates from Insiza, Nkayi, Lupane, Tsholotsho, Gwanda Tshitaudze, Mangwe, and Mzingwane bussed ZANU PF potential voters.”
“Overall; voting trends indicate that the opposition leader NC of CCC is more popular and hence received more votes than his House of Assembly candidates while the ZANU PF president mainly had lower votes than his House of Assembly candidates.
“This can be interpreted as – Zimbabweans were voting for change and they believe a presidential candidate has all it takes in giving them the change they want to see,” said the EU observer mission.
As constitutional law expert, Professor Lovemore Madhuku, told The Herald recently, no report by any observer mission can reverse the pronouncement made by ZEC announcing President Mnangagwa as the winner of the Presidential election.
“There should not be an illusion that you can use a report to reverse the election outcome,” he said.
Herald
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