0108EXIT REPORT ON ZIMBABWE ELECTIONS 2013
Pan African Forum placed 12 independent observers (that included African scholars, media strategists, analysts and experts in election monitoring) across Zimbabwe for the purposes of countering allegations of well-known media houses in Europe and the world at large. Already the BBC, Al-Jazeera, e-NCA of South Africa has started distorting facts before the outcome of the elections. The purpose of Pan African Forum sending such a group was to independently inform the world about the real truth regarding Zimbabwe elections. Those who want to distort the peaceful, credible elections of Zimbabwe are again on the rise and we want the world to note that we shall intellectually expose them one by one. Elections in Zimbabwe kicked off on the 31" July 2013, with a daunting task affixed to Morgan Tsvangirai MDC-T as the main opposition leader to unseat ZANU PF Robert Mugabe in a democratic election. President Robert Mugabe held a press conference in Harare on the eve of the elections, in which he committed to adhere to the constitution and the specified laws spelt out by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC). Furthermore in demonstrating his political will as a vanguard of democratic institutions and the rule of law President Robert Mugabe admitted to Zimbabweans, Africans and the entire world that he would concede defeat if beaten in a free, fair and credible elections. In doing so, Robert Mugabe demonstrated a break away from the past by "dismembering client-patronage networks" and thus puts Zimbabwe on a correct footpath of a tolerant, non violent democratic country. President Robert Mugabe's conciliatory defeat message triggered and riled shockwaves across merchants of doom, who have written a plethora of articles, spitting venom on our hero Mugabe whom they vociferously criticize as a man who cannot allow a free and fair vote. Zimbabwe has been under a coalition government dubbed the Global Peace Agreement (GPA) that encapsulated ZANU PF and subsequent MDC formations. The coalition government has been able to achieve substantive reforms that will propel Zimbabwe to the apex of valence politics. These reforms include; the passing of a new constitution, media reforms, security sector reforms, that have made the voting process in Zimbabwe violent free. Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC-T abhors the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and is likely to denounce and reject the election results if they come in favour of President Mugabe ZANU-PF. The MDC formations have started crying foul and creating a similar crisis like that of 2008, of non-free and non-fair elections, while calling for regional and International barons of regime change to pressure President Mugabe to quit. Morgan Tsvangirai cry baby-cloak and dagger activities that make him find refuge in European sympathy is causing instability to Zimbabwe. His invitation of SADC to solve teething problems in Zimbabwe has precipitated a cloud of suspicion, hampered constructive dialogue towards national issues and actualized a dearth of leadership in Zimbabwe politics. Zimbabwe's new constitution is the benchmark of all ground cannons which all and sundry should adhere to while pontificating Zimbabwe. Zimbabweans and indeed the whole world salute the prevalence of peace and a level playing field, all which trace back to the robustness of the new constitution. Just like Kenya, the passage of a new constitution and the repeated messages of peace especially from the ZANU PF side made security forces comply with the rules and act with restrain against opposition factions in Zimbabwe. The run up to the general elections were consequentially ecstatic, with both sides of the divide campaigning and castigating each other equally, with a view of capturing a broad base support of the elections. ZANU PF, MPC-T and MDC launched their party manifestos as the irreducible minimum upon which they rallied their supporters along a common purpose. ZANU PF launched its manifesto under the banner of "Taking back the Economy: Economic Empowerment and Indigenization. MDC-T consequently had its launch under the auspices of "A new Zimbabwe- The time is now!" This encapsulated the juice plan; jobs, investment capital and the environment. Morgan Tsvangirai made it extremely cumbersome for a smooth transition to a democratic election as he kept on invoking SADC to pressure President Mugabe to reject the constitutional court election decision, in favour of speedy reforms in the media, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the security sector. This demonstrates that Morgan Tsvangirai lacks faith in institutions that he helped institutionalise under the Global Peace Agreement. Morgan Tsvangirai's SADC petition of the constitutional court further antagonised the three GPA principals and threatened to atrophy the newly reformed institutions to a point of incapacity. FACTS: Elections so far in Zimbabwe have been free, fair transparent and credible with the electorate choosing their leaders and the Observers conducting their role without victimization. Despite the presence of erratic and gaffe prone individuals such as Obasanjo, the people of Zimbabwe have been able to conduct themselves in the highest standard of decorum which is a spitting image of what is to be expected in the future. Zimbabweans from the diaspora traversed and criss-crossed borders from African countries such as Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, Swaziland, South Africa, Europe and the AMERICAS to make their vote count back home in a watershed moment for their country Zimbabwe. Zimbabweans from the diaspora formed part of the huge voter turnout that brazed the chilly mornings of the South to make their decision count in a free, fair vote. The Pan African Forum (PAF) dispatched a team of twelve (12) observers across We have defended Zimbabwe for over (13) years against all manners of targeted sanctions and we will continue to defend it at whatever cost as it is the price we pay for African patriotism. Our reporters on the ground continue to provide up to date updates and analysis to the world with an objective view of the watershed moment in Zimbabwe. Polling stations were open in Zimbabwe from 7:00 A.M as voters streamed in their millions to cast their vote. The polling stations were closed by 7:00P.M, however due to large influx of the voter turnouts the Zimbabwe Election Commission gave Zimbabweans an additional five hours to conclude voting at 12:00 P.M midnight. The counting is underway and the entire world will see the integrity, transparency and credibility of Zimbabwe elections... OBASANJO'S ROLE AS AU OBSERVER IN ZIMBABWE Pan African Forum stand on President Obasanjo who arrived in Zimbabwe three days before the elections has helped to shape his behaviour and we want to thank him and the AU observers for the tenacity they have shown. President Obasanjo as Head of the African Union Observer mission is to safeguard the integrity of the Africans and the African Union before any other his business interests in Zimbabwe. Our tough call on Obasanjo has made him a level headed observer devoid of erratic vestiges he has been displaying all over the African continent as an observer. The Pan African Forum would like to remind those who might forget that we are closely monitoring all his actions and we will be issuing a comprehensive statement which will act as a basis of a formal petition on his conduct at the African Union if he continues botching elections in the continent. Our mission is not loaded with personal hatred for Obasanjo but as a basis of future interactions with AU. CIVIL SOCIETIES IN ZIMBABWE The Pan African Forum would like to urge Zimbabweans to embrace, peace, tranquility, dialogue and humility as the Zimbabwe Election Commission is counts and tabulates local municipal, parliamentary and Presidential results in Zimbabwe. The Pan African Forum is aware of activities of NGOs, that have conglomerated under the banner of Zimbabwe Civil Societies that have dispatched agents across polling stations in Zimbabwe to tally and stream online results with an aim of undermining the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. Furthermore it has come to the attention of the Pan African Forum that The Action for Southern Africa is rallying demonstrators in London to demonstrate against the elections in Zimbabwe in which they term not free and fair. In doing so they are using demeaning caricatures of President Robert Mugabe to scold ZANU PF. We urge all NGO's to desist from activities that will trigger violence in Zimbabwe as it was the case in the Kenyan 2007-2008 elections. The people of Zimbabwe have demonstrated to the entire world their resilience, and if given time, their maturity is capable to propel Zimbabwe to valence Politics. We urge all Zimbabweans to desist from any actions that would precipitate tension and to give the Zimbabwe Election Commission adequate time to release the election results as they have vowed to release results, within a period of five days. We urge all parties to respect the will of the people and in the spirit of Pan Africanism, those defeated in Zimbabwe elections to accept defeat in order to move the country of Lobengula forward. The people of Zimbabwe have surprised the merchants of doom with their voter turnout that has exceeded the likes of Germany and United States of America which are slightly below 50% of the registered voters. It is against this backdrop that we call for the unconditional removal of the remaining sanctions against Zimbabwe that have hurt our brothers and sisters of this great nation. BOTTLE NECKS OF THE ELECTION. (I) International media and international agencies that want to demonize the results before release. RECOMMENDATIONS (1) We urge the Zimbabwe security apparatus to take Zero tolerance on wellsprings of unrest in Zimbabwe despite their social class in society. God Bless Zimbabwe! Dr. David Nyekorach – Matsanga. |
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