Living Zimbabwe

Tag: Elections

  • Tsvangirai’s First Real Post Election Defeat Interview

    Tsvangirai’s First Real Post Election Defeat Interview

    The 2013 harmonised elections in Zimbabwe once again brought about a disappointing result for MDC-T as they failed to secure a win. Since the results were announced, the President of MDC-T, Morgan Tsvangirai has not been very vocal about the events that took place before, during and after 31 July, 2013.

    However, there have been a number of supporters and critics who have had a lot to say about him and the Movement for Democratic Change. This has included commentary from pundits that the party did not do much over the years to prepare themselves for the elections; that they haven’t done anything different to what they have done in the past to try and defeat Mugabe and Zanu-PF; that this event has marked the beginning of the end for Tsvangirai; that SADC/AU is not to blame; and the list goes on.

    He recently sat down for an interview with Violet Gonda on 1st TV where they discussed a number of issues surrounding the elections and the way forward for MDC-T. Even though what Tsvangirai has to say may seem a bit vague and confusing at times, it gives a bit more insight into his thoughts about the elections, his current frame of mind, possible actions that they may take and the way forward for the party.

    Watch it and let us know what your thoughts are (by leaving a comment below) on the future of Tsvangirai and MDC-T.

  • Zimbabwe’s Stolen Election Conspiracy Theory Involving China, Nikuv, The CIA & Baba Jukwa

    Zimbabwe’s Stolen Election Conspiracy Theory Involving China, Nikuv, The CIA & Baba Jukwa

    Below is something akin to a conspiracy theory that we received. This content is doing the rounds on WhatsApp and social media. The theory gives a break down of how ZANU PF managed to defeat MDC in the elections and how the ruling party may have gotten themselves into a quandary. However true or false it is, it makes for some interesting and entertaining reading.

    (Note: We have decided to not edit it and rather post it in the form that we received it in)

    Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below:

    this is hw Mdc ws beaten, Zanu created baba jukwa to hypnotize th nation,to divert
    pple frm where ey r going to steal th election, toking abt pens and intimidation,
    that’s not where th election ws stolen, not frm busing pple, it ws a diversion, th
    election ws stolen in th making of th BALLOT PAPER, two types of ballot papers
    were made, one frm China wc ws houzd at Morris Depot and th other one in Zim,
    ts one frm China hd Maths in it, if u look at closely facing th sun, it had a big X water mark, dat X ws linking RGM’ s head to MRT’s box and vice versa, dat water
    mark ws an electric device, if u make yo X in MRT’s box it links wth RGM’s head
    and appears in front of him after 4hours,that device deactivates afta 24hrs if th
    paper is used, hw u cn verify ts, there are Xs already in front of RGM s head jus
    waiting activation, they r strait like ey were drawn using a ruler. 4million of these
    papers were done that Maths while th 2million ws not tempered wth, so th distribution of these ballot papers ws strategic, Byo ws not tempered with as it ws
    going to b evn more suspicious, Baba Jukwa ws meant to divert yo attention to
    concentrate on none important issues. On Tuesday night RGM came out on TV
    speaking confidently dat thoz dat luz must surrender to thoz dat hv won, he also
    said if Hre votes for MRT he will hv a heart attack as he knew dat all things hv
    been done to make him win in Hre, 13million dollars was spent on ts project, 5guys frm Nikuv were behind ts project and were escorted to th airport on Wed b4
    th elections were over as they hd accomplished their mission From inside Nikuv
    source
    ZANU was fooled by Nikuv ane after rigging the elections Nikuv took all the evidence when they left Zim and handed it to their subsidiary company in SA to give to Mdc.Mugabe is in quandary,walked out of meeting angry with how he was tricked.Nikuv was working wth CIA to expose Mugabe ‘s rigging ways.Now he is astonished.The World knows,SADC knows hence 14 members have refused to indose t elections as fair.Next week is going t be interesting.ZANU’s plann was to rigg a certain section but they over did it to the extend tat they are shocked as well.Pray pray pray pray,the truth will be out soon.God is on Zimbabwe side.Mugabe is a lame President even if he is sworn in.

  • Technical Rigging By ZANU PF In The 2013 Zimbabwe Harmonised Elections?

    Technical Rigging By ZANU PF In The 2013 Zimbabwe Harmonised Elections?

    The official results of the 2013 Presidential Elections have been announced and President Mugabe’s Zanu-PF claimed a landslide victory.

    To date, the election process has been peaceful which makes Morgan Tsvangirai’s loss even more difficult. Previous elections were marked with violence and in the face of defeat, Tsvangirai used these acts as a major trump card to cry foul. Suggestions of people being intimidated into voting for Zanu-PF where their vote would have otherwise gone to MDC would be aired in an attempt to nullify the elections.

    In 2013, citing violence and intimidation is something that cannot be used and this now leaves the opposition in a position where they have to find another avenue through which to proclaim the elections as a “sham”.

    At a press conference over the weekend, Tsvangirai stated the following:

    [quote]”The fraudulent and stolen election has plunged Zimbabwe into a constitutional, political and economic crisis,”[/quote]
    His concerns included stating the need for fresh elections:
    [quote]”…… once all remedies have been be exhausted, the people of Zimbabwe should be allowed fresh opportunity to freely, fairly elect a government of their choice. In this regard a credible free and fair, legitimate election must be held as soon as possible.”[/quote]

    (continued below)

    In order for their request for fresh elections to be actioned, MDC would have to prove that there were irregularities in the election process. That said, the likely option (since there was no violence) would be to go via the route of technical rigging by Zanu-PF.

    Well before the elections took place, there were reports of the ruling party enlisting Israelis to rig the elections and ensure a win for them. The company in question has a presence in not only Zimbabwe but also in other parts of Africa and provides a number of services to governments. One of their services is the provision of an election system that handles and manages voter’s registration and the election process.

    In the last day or so, a report surfaced where a spokesperson from a private South African based intelligence organisation alleged to have uncovered election fraud stated the following:

    “From our findings so far we are 99.9% convinced that the election was rigged via a ballot paper. A special watermarked ballot was used to give president Mugabe a resounding victory. The ballot had a water X against President Mugabe’s name such that if any ink is placed on the paper the substance on the paper will react and remove the ink and activate the watermarked X into print. If you look at some ballots you would see that Xs are very straight and Identical. These were mixed with ordinary ballot papers in a proportion that would favour Zanu-PF. Therefore I call for the opposition parties and the international community to stage an urgent probe into this scam”

    Who is to know which route the MDC will use to fight the election result? They may chose to go the Israeli firm route, the “water X” ballot paper route, both of the aforementioned or via a completely different channel. Which ever way they chose to go, they will need evidence if they are going to convince the powers that be that of the need for fresh elections.

    Finding that evidence, convincing the AU, SADC and whoever else needs to be convinced and getting to the point of fresh elections represents quite a challenge for MDC! Question is, do they have what it takes to make it happen?

    Whatever the case may be, the votes are in and as it stands, President Mugabe is victorious and is set to sit his seventh term in office.

  • The Zimbabwe 2013 Presidential Election Results

    The Zimbabwe 2013 Presidential Election Results

    President Robert Gabriel Mugabe has been officially declared the winner of the 2013 harmonised elections and effectively giving him a seventh term in office.

    The official Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) results are as follows:

    Election Results:

    Robert Mugabe: 2 110 434 votes – 61,09%
    Morgan Tsvangirai: 1 172 349 votes – 33,94%
    Welshman Ncube: 92 637 votes – 2,68%
    Dumiso Dabengwa: 25 416 votes – 0,74%
    Kisinoti Mukwazhi: 9 931 votes – 0,29%

    National Assembly Results:

    Eighth Parliament 210 parliament seats:

    ZANU-PF – 158 seats
    MDC-T – 51 seats
    MDC – zero seats
    Jonathan Samkange (Independent candidate) – 1 seat

  • Shock & Dismay At Zimbabwe Elections By A First Time Voter

    Shock & Dismay At Zimbabwe Elections By A First Time Voter

    I am a first time voter, 25 and a recent graduate. I studied Chemical Engineering and am a proud holder of a degree. But in this country i am just one of many, educated but cannot find a job in this broken system. My call to action was a Sunday Mail headline which claimed only 17% is unemployed. I mean that had me angry and I knew then I had to vote for change. The feeling was shared by almost everyone I knew. Enough was enough Zanu PF needed a break, the 89 year old leader needed to retire.

    Post result shock and disappointment is what I have at the moment. We all know who really won the election, we all know who rescued the economy. We are not dumb we know our country was headed in the right direction. We where robbed. Zanu PF are thieves who overdid it. And, they took a 2/3 majority so as to implement more oppressive statutes as they and ONLY they plunder the resources of Zimbabwe. There are no celebrations, only mourning. We are mourning the death of any hope we had of a better Zimbabwe.

    This has been a submission an anonymous contributor
    You too can become a Citizen Journalist by submitting your story here: Citizen Journalism by Living Zimbabwe
    The views expressed in the article are those of the author and not necessarily Living Zimbabwe.

  • Widespread Human Rights Violations Threaten Elections in Zimbabwe

    FULL REPORT:

    PRESS STATEMENT

    With just weeks to go before a watershed election, a political atmosphere of intimidation and violence has taken hold in Zimbabwe. Rather than promoting an environment in which civic participation and political tolerance are encouraged, the government of Zimbabwe has engaged in a systematic crackdown on civil society and the human rights community, including arbitrary detention of activists and opposition supporters, and widespread violations against freedom of expression and access to information.

    These are the findings of a report released today by the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights (RFK Center) entitled, “A Promise in Peril: How Widespread Rights Violations Undermine Zimbabwe’s Elections.” The report comes one month before Zimbabwe’s July 31 election, and presents findings that were collected during an international delegation organized by the RFK Center in March 2013.

    “The routine intimidation, harassment, and arbitrary criminal prosecutions of human rights defenders, lawyers, and political activists in Zimbabwe threaten the rights of all citizens to participate freely in public affairs,” said Kerry Kennedy, President of the RFK Center. “With an election upcoming, the government must ensure an electoral environment that is consistent with international standards.”

    “These ongoing human rights violations set the stage for the type of violence and chaos that has marred past elections in Zimbabwe. State authorities have engaged in a pattern of suppression that specifically targets groups engaged in voter registration, education, and mobilization initiatives,” said Santiago A. Canton, Director of RFK Partners for Human Rights. “This behavior is unacceptable and represents clear breaches of domestic and international law.”

    In the report, the RFK Center urges the government of Zimbabwe—which is largely dominated by President Robert Mugabe and the Zimbabwe African National Union–Patriotic Front—to immediately cease the continued harassment, intimidation, and violence perpetrated against civic actors. The report also encourages the government to respect international legal conventions to which Zimbabwe is a party or state signatory, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, and the Declaration of Principles of Freedom of Expression in Africa.

    This has been a submission by Jeffrey Smith.
    You can connect with Jeffrey Smith via the following:
    You too can become a Citizen Journalist by submitting your story here: Citizen Journalism by Living Zimbabwe
    The views expressed in the article are those of the author and not necessarily Living Zimbabwe.

  • My Late Father Would Vote Zanu (PF) Today

    My Late Father Would Vote Zanu (PF) Today

    “Kays” as they called him was son to a Gushungo who migrated from Serima and my gogo a Muturikwa whose parents possibly migrated from Mrehwa. He was born in 1945, across the river from Prime Minister’s home. Surprisingly that is as far as their similarities go because had he been alive, he would not vote for MDC-T today. This man who forever will be revered as a hero in my memory was disabled. It was not an inborn disability, but something happened to his right lower leg when he was young. Up to the day he died, he had not been able to discuss with me nor my siblings regards to what really happened. All I know is that it was a fire accident.

    Kays believed in the revolutionary movement’s focus on policies that improve lives of the common man. He would always urge Zanu (PF) to go back to roots to emphasise on such policies to lure lost votes. “It will be a walkover on these directionless boys” he argued with me on his deathbed at Parerinyatwa. He belonged to a generation who had wanted to participate in liberation struggle but failed because of various reasons. They mobilised students, recruits, provided clothes and other support. Such a class faced wrath of Smith regime accused of being lifeblood to the comrades and withholding information. These professionals played their part but never clamoured for recognition to date.

    Education

    After completing Standard 6 (Form 2) he trained as a teacher at Wadilove Mission (Marondera) in 1972 where he met my mother who was from Bumburwi. He stayed in the same profession till his end in 2009. Through correspondence he attained O levels , Grad CE and later BA Hons. As a primary school teacher working in rural areas, he knew that the only way societies can improve is through education. He worked hard through disability to send his children to get descent education. Free education policy of the 1990s produced a Zimbabwe which is rated to have above average literacy world over. Kays although an executive, believed that militants in ZIMTA led to the first teachers’ strike in 1990 and had no care for teachers or students welfare at all. Post 1990 period saw introduction of school fees and cases started appearing of children dropping out or being unable to write exams because of lack of funds. He always felt that IMF demands for government to slash social services bill (ESAP) was a way of West getting even with Mugabe.

    Health

    The fire accident deformed his right leg such that his toes turned towards the heel to form a round like foot developing into a very thin sheen up the leg. So to speak he stepped on the top of his foot. That leg became shorter. At times he used clutches until Jairos Jiri organised a special shoe for him. From Bata shops, he would buy a pair of size 11 but only use the left one. That special shoe could only be repaired but he could not buy a new one. Courtesy of Mugabe’s health policy, more disadvantaged people like him during years after independence could always be treated for free regardless of medical needs. UK has maintained a similar socialist health policy to date. The number of health clinics opened country wide, more medical professionals training, building of toilets in rural areas, access to clean water all pointed to a caring leader in Mugabe.

    The Land Question

    Just like many, he was frustrated that the Lancaster House Agreement put land redistribution on hold for 10 years. Worse still after that period, Mugabe was frustrated into being unable to fulfil pre-war time period promises to resettle masses from reserves as apportioned by Land Apportionment Act 1930. When farm invasions started in 2000, all Kays said was “Commercial Farmers’ Union have shot themselves in the foot.” CFU never thought farms could be taken away from them. White farmers believed in the Courts which continued to make decisions against land redistribution. To date land redistribution has continued and although chaotic, people’s lives have been changed.

    Legacy

    Zanu (PF) legacy is open to interpretation but Kays would always look beyond negatives. He believed that “honourable” is the best way regard Mugabe. A Politburo Member recently summarized Zanu (PF) legacy to me as “Land, Empowerment, Development creation, Sustained support for farmers and reform to mining sector” .Even after formation of GNU, the revolutionary party pulled indigenization policy which in theory seeks to put control of economy in the hands of locals. The mining sector has also been opened up to allow local ownership. I do not see MDC-T pulling out any of the landmark policies to convince voters. This is the reason why penetration to the rural areas has been sketchy for Harvest House arrogant overrated under-achievers.

    Vote Rigging

    Kays was appointed acting headmaster closer to his home in 1985 but by then he was already involved in running elections. He would later work as presiding officer in charge of polling centers Talk of Zanu (PF) vote rigging was doing rounds by 1990 elections. Edgar Tekere gave Mugabe a run for his cash and many expected a surprise. Results later indicated that “Two-Boy” Tekere actually lost dismally. I put it to him then about vote rigging and to the day he died, he maintained the answer he gave me 19 years before. He explained the system to me, how each candidate’s representatives verify boxes before they are sealed and sign to agree authenticity. The same happens when opening the boxes and counting the ballots. He believed that in the system run by Mudede, there is no way any rigging can happen. He reminded me that rigging could affect Mugabe as well and as such the system had to be water tight. I believed him and still can argue that it is possible Zanu (PF) has never rigged elections to this day.

    Enemy No. 1

    Landmark policies as he viewed them are a good enough weapon to win any elections. Zanu (PF) is presenting voters to MDCs on a platter, credit to enemy No1 -violence. There is no need for violence because in a “free and fair” conducted poll, Kays in his grave still argues that “Zvimba” can claim the gong. Use of force blinds folds people from looking at facts on the ground. By forcing people not to vote for other parties or for Zanu (PF), proponents of violence will be confessing to a weakness in policy. This frustrated Kays so much because he believed that Mugabe has over the years built a case to uplift generations in Zimbabwe. During 2008 elections people voted for anything other than Zanu (PF).They don’t even know their MPs’ names to date. This hatred is an offspring of violence. Kays was not sure if violence is official policy at Zanu (PF) but believed that strategists may as well accept that as much as countering MDCs, they have to plot against violence. It is a corroding the party from within and only Mugabe can stamp his foot on this. No matter how much people bleed, get houses burnt or bury the dead, days are gone that force will bring in votes.

    Die Hard

    By mid-2009 aged 64 he had not been admitted to hospital in 50 years but complained of shortness of breath, later turned out to be Pulmonary Embolism. His veins and arteries were developing blood clots caused by a violent form of Pancreatic Cancer. The deformed leg soon developed Gangrene. Six weeks later Vascular Surgeons in Harare recommended amputation of the affected leg but ended up cutting off both legs and the right arm. Gangrene had spread over all those parts. He never woke up from the operating table. 10 days before his death I implied to him that shortages in hospital supplies required for his treatment were as a result of his irresponsible vote for Zanu (PF). Even though knowing that with Stage 4 Cancer, his chances of survival were below 20%, at a moment when walls of his heart were weakening due to excessive use of Morphine, he reassured me that Mugabe had not yet finished the job he started. He refused to condemn the beloved party he regarded as saviour of the masses. He argued that GNU would allow Mugabe to focus on people again.

    True to that word, I think Mugabe is back. Just open your eyes to what Kays called “Landmark Policies” and you can witness people’s lives changing.

    R.I.P my idol because your institution par excellence may still be in the game.

    This has been a submission by kelvin Mupungu.
    You can connect with kelvin Mupungu via the following:  http://www.twitter.com/mtkelvin
    You too can become a Citizen Journalist by submitting your story here: Citizen Journalism by Living Zimbabwe
    The views expressed in the article are those of the author and not necessarily Living Zimbabwe.

  • The Unemployment Challenge For The Zim Youth

    Youth Manifestos for the upcoming elections

    Introduction

    The Zimbabwean youth make up about 60% of the active electorate and they are by far the most important age group that play a very important role in the society. Despite being the most important part of the electorate, the youth of Zimbabwe still have no active part when it comes to playing a political part, our role being reduced to nothing but political pawns, we are only there to enhance and legitimize politicians’ ascendency to the top through our vote. We are their face, we do the dirty work for them , running their errands in the streets, at rallies but as is as much political role we are given because as soon as the results are announced the politicians will assume their positions as “kings” but as for us the youth, we will soon assume our permanent roles as pawns in the political arena.

    The challenges the youth are facing

    Zimbabwe has over the last decade been at the summit when it comes to literacy levels in Africa and still continues to churn out thousands of world class graduates every year. Every year each prospective graduate is full of optimism of graduating, being capped by the president, being called a graduate, getting a job and contributing to their country’s development but that optimism is soon replaced by heartache because our industry and economy cannot offer them anything. The biggest challenge that the youth are facing is that of unemployment. With more than 90% unemployment rate, it means that only a fraction of the estimated 12 million people is employed, roughly over a million if we are to go with the estimates. Every year, close to more than 5 000 people graduate in Zimbabwe, from state universities, poly techs, nursing school, teachers colleges, apprenticeships to name but a few and all these people are expecting to be part of that 10%.

    The Zimbabwean economy continues to grow at a painfully slow rate. Things have gotten better in the country but people continue to struggle for a decent living. Wages and salaries continue to be stagnant and despite the cries from the people salary raises continue to be a pipedream. The President has on many occasions called for all our foreign graduates to come home and contribute to the building of our economy and resuscitating our country’s fortunes. Locally we have thousands graduating from high schools and universities and already the country cannot support all these graduates and apart from all those foreign graduates the president is calling on, we have thousands more from his Presidential scholarship from all the major universities in South Africa coming back as well to scavenge for the little resources that are already exhausted. I wonder where the learned President of the Republic of Zimbabwe wants all those professionals earning a decent living overseas, want to put them when the local professionals here have nothing. Does he want them to contribute to the unemployment rate. There is need for him to create job opportunities for us here in Zimbabwe before calling on all those foreign graduates. As a graduate myself who is unemployed I believe the president should work on making me and the rest of the other graduates happy by giving us jobs.

    In developed countries, even in some African countries it is unheard of for graduates to go for prolonged periods of time unemployed but for our beloved country, you might as well bury them because they might not get used in a very long time because there is nowhere to use them for. Most youths will regard the four years they spent studying for a degree, for that diploma, for that profession as a waste because most people usually end up in trades that have nothing to do with what they studied for just to make ends meet. We have seen people with a professional qualification swallowing their pride to do menial jobs. We have seen most youths editing their CVs removing their degrees so as to get a job because most companies will not employ a graduate with a degree for a menial job. Thus, most youths in our country are certificate holders yet they are not doing what they went to school for all for the sake of making ends meet.

    What the youths need is a government that gives them a guarantee that there will be jobs. Jacob Zuma promised to get 500 000 jobs for his people after a certain period. At least people can hope. The ZANU PF government engages in policies that are killing the economy where most people see the only alternative as going overseas. The ZANU PF government destroyed our economy with their guerrilla policies of how to run the economy, running it down and destroying the industry, effectively destroying the source of employment for the majority of the people. I want a government that provides a guarantee and an effective plan and policy of providing for jobs. The Ministry of Finance continues to freeze out jobs in the public sector effectively rendering all the graduates jobless because the government is the biggest employer in the country yet they are failing to provide us with employment, yet the president is calling on graduates to come home. To work where Mr. President if I may ask?

    What we need is a treasury that is able to support the populace through the provision of releasing funds and unfreezing jobs in the civil service. The treasury has to release funds to bail out the industries so that the youths get employed. Zimbabwe is becoming centralized with everything being reduced to Harare. This is a sad reality particularly for the other youths based in other parts of the country. It is even sad for those in Bulawayo as most industries there are relocating to Harare. Prof. Welshman Ncube, what are you doing? Lobby the Finance Ministry to bail out Bulawayo because as youths we are seeing our dreams disappear in front of us because we cannot get jobs.

    Unemployment is a bigger challenge to us the youths and there is need for these politicians to walk their talk because the time has come where we will not tolerate their improbable plans for us because we need something to look forward to for tomorrow.

    This has been a submission by Anonymous. If you have something to share, you too can become a Citizen Journalist by submitting your story here: Citizen Journalism by Living Zimbabwe.

  • A Violent Response: New Documentary Film by Hopewell Chin’ono

    The award winning Journalist and Filmmaker Hopewell Chin’ono is at it again. He has put together another documentary film called A Violent Response. The documentary covers some of the actions carried out by the government after the March 2008 elections. Here is the trailer of the film which is due to be released in December:

  • Zimbabwe Vote Rigging Film by Shepherd Yuda

    This video taken by a Zimbabwe prison guard, Shepherd Yuda (for the Guardian) shows how the government made sure that votes were cast in their favour.