The arrested people were monitoring the polls, Roselyn Hanzi says, as voters called back in 40 wards
24 August 2023 - 12:05
byNelson Banya and Nyasha Chingono
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
An election official waits to count ballot papers as polling stations close after the general election in Mbare township, Harare, Zimbabwe, on August 23. Picture: REUTERS/SIPHIWE SIBEKO
Zimbabweans were called back to vote on Thursday in 40 wards affected by delays during Wednesday’s election and a prominent human rights lawyer alleged police are detaining about 40 civil society activists who were monitoring the poll.
Both developments were likely to dent the credibility of the process in a country where the ruling Zanu-PF party has been in power for 43 years and previous elections have been marred by fraud and violence.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa was under pressure to deliver a clean election from foreign lenders and donors who have long shunned Zimbabwe due to Zanu-PF’s record of economic mismanagement, human rights abuses and vote-rigging.
Mnangagwa, 80, took over from longtime strongman Robert Mugabe when he was ousted in a military coup in 2017. Mnangagwa won a disputed election in 2018 and is seeking a second full term.
His reelection bid comes against a backdrop of economic misery, with runaway inflation, a currency that has lost 85% of its value just this year and a joblessness crisis, leaving many Zimbabweans dependent on US dollar remittances from relatives in the diaspora.
Mnangagwa’s main challenger is the same as in the previous election: lawyer and pastor Nelson Chamisa, 45, of the Citizens Coalition for Change, who says he will resist any attempts by Zanu-PF to manipulate the election to stay in power.
Roselyn Hanzi, director of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, said she has received information that police have detained about 40 members of two civil society groups late on Wednesday and raided their offices.
In posts on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Hanzi said the activists are being detained without access to lawyers and have not been allowed to make any calls.
Voting resume
A police spokesperson declined to comment.
After a significant number of polling stations in Harare and Bulawayo were hit by hours of delays on Wednesday, Mnangagwa ordered that voting resume on Thursday in 40 wards.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) blamed the delays on the late printing of ballot papers caused by court challenges, giving no further details.
Though the 40 wards make up less than 1% of the total, they include 11 wards in Harare, which has the highest number of registered voters and is a stronghold for the opposition.
Wards in Mashonaland Central, where the ruling party is traditionally dominant, and the battleground Manicaland were also affected.
Eldred Masungure, a lecturer in political science at the University of Zimbabwe, said the delays will jeopardise the integrity of the election and of the ZEC.
“It suggests that the ZEC was far from prepared. In the affected wards, we witnessed what amounts to an institutional disaster,” he said. “That injury has been addressed somewhat but not everyone will have the time nor the resources to vote today [Thursday].”
Parliamentary results had been expected to trickle in on Thursday with the presidential result coming later, though well before a five-day deadline. It is unclear whether that schedule will be affected by the extended voting.
Independent analysts say the electoral playing field is heavily skewed in favour of Zanu-PF, which has a long history of using state institutions to manipulate the process to its advantage. Zanu-PF and the electoral commission have said the election will be fair.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Zimbabwe election: Lawyer says 40 activists detained amid voting delays
The arrested people were monitoring the polls, Roselyn Hanzi says, as voters called back in 40 wards
Zimbabweans were called back to vote on Thursday in 40 wards affected by delays during Wednesday’s election and a prominent human rights lawyer alleged police are detaining about 40 civil society activists who were monitoring the poll.
Both developments were likely to dent the credibility of the process in a country where the ruling Zanu-PF party has been in power for 43 years and previous elections have been marred by fraud and violence.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa was under pressure to deliver a clean election from foreign lenders and donors who have long shunned Zimbabwe due to Zanu-PF’s record of economic mismanagement, human rights abuses and vote-rigging.
Mnangagwa, 80, took over from longtime strongman Robert Mugabe when he was ousted in a military coup in 2017. Mnangagwa won a disputed election in 2018 and is seeking a second full term.
His reelection bid comes against a backdrop of economic misery, with runaway inflation, a currency that has lost 85% of its value just this year and a joblessness crisis, leaving many Zimbabweans dependent on US dollar remittances from relatives in the diaspora.
Mnangagwa’s main challenger is the same as in the previous election: lawyer and pastor Nelson Chamisa, 45, of the Citizens Coalition for Change, who says he will resist any attempts by Zanu-PF to manipulate the election to stay in power.
Roselyn Hanzi, director of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, said she has received information that police have detained about 40 members of two civil society groups late on Wednesday and raided their offices.
In posts on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Hanzi said the activists are being detained without access to lawyers and have not been allowed to make any calls.
Voting resume
A police spokesperson declined to comment.
After a significant number of polling stations in Harare and Bulawayo were hit by hours of delays on Wednesday, Mnangagwa ordered that voting resume on Thursday in 40 wards.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) blamed the delays on the late printing of ballot papers caused by court challenges, giving no further details.
Though the 40 wards make up less than 1% of the total, they include 11 wards in Harare, which has the highest number of registered voters and is a stronghold for the opposition.
Wards in Mashonaland Central, where the ruling party is traditionally dominant, and the battleground Manicaland were also affected.
Eldred Masungure, a lecturer in political science at the University of Zimbabwe, said the delays will jeopardise the integrity of the election and of the ZEC.
“It suggests that the ZEC was far from prepared. In the affected wards, we witnessed what amounts to an institutional disaster,” he said. “That injury has been addressed somewhat but not everyone will have the time nor the resources to vote today [Thursday].”
Parliamentary results had been expected to trickle in on Thursday with the presidential result coming later, though well before a five-day deadline. It is unclear whether that schedule will be affected by the extended voting.
Independent analysts say the electoral playing field is heavily skewed in favour of Zanu-PF, which has a long history of using state institutions to manipulate the process to its advantage. Zanu-PF and the electoral commission have said the election will be fair.
Reuters
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most Read
Related Articles
Economy takes centre stage as Zimbabwe heads to the polls
Zimbabwe votes: opposition cries foul over delays
Zimbabwe extends voting amid ballot delays
Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.