Ditshwanelo

PRESS STATEMENT OF THE BOTSWANA CIVIL SOCIETY COALITION FOR ZIMBABWE (BOCISCOZ)

We, the Botswana Civil Society Solidarity Coalition for Zimbabwe (BOCISCOZ) note that on Saturday 29 March 2008, Zimbabwe held elections for Presidential, Senatorial, Parliamentary and Council representatives. According to Zimbabwean civil society organisations, most polling stations had by Sunday 30 March 2008 posted the parliamentary and senatorial results outside the polling stations as is required in terms of section 64 (2) of the Electoral Act of Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has to date not released any Local Government or Presidential results. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission supervises the election process in Zimbabwe without a policy making and effective management role.

According to media reports, Zanu-PF is demanding a re-count of the votes. The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has pointed out that before a recount is conducted, the results need to be announced.

According to Section 110 (3) of the Electoral Act of Zimbabwe where no candidate emerges with a clear majority of the total number of valid votes cast, there will be an electoral run-off within 21 days. A run-off is an election between two candidates, neither of whom had received a clear majority in the first round of voting. The run-off election is expected to be between the Zanu- PF’s President Robert Mugabe and Mr. Morgan Tsvangirai of the MDC. According to media reports, President Mugabe is proposing to use his powers to extend the time frame for the run-off to the Presidential election to 90 days on the basis that ZEC will not be adequately prepared to hold the run-off within the stipulated period of 21 days, in accordance with the Electoral Act.

BOCISCOZ would like to express concerns about the evolving situation in Zimbabwe due to the following reasons:

The delay by ZEC in releasing the Local Government and Presidential election results may result in the diminishing of public confidence in the electoral process.
Should the run-off election, be preceded by the 90 days preferred by President Mugabe, the ruling party may intimidate opposition supporters using the ‘war veterans’, Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operatives and the National Youth Service. According to media reports the 'war veterans' have already pledged to “protect the sovereignty of Zimbabwe”. There are also reports that people in the rural areas are being intimidated and are being told to defend their land as they risk their farms being given back to “white people” in the event that an opposition government takes over.
According to recent media reports, a new surge of farm invasions by ‘war veterans’ against white owned farms recently began.

BOCISCOZ calls upon SADC and its member states to mediate an end to the election crisis in Zimbabwe in order to avoid potential unrest in the country. BOCISCOZ urges all the political parties of Zimbabwe to exercise restraint and desist from employing intimidatory tactics. BOCISCOZ further recommends that ZEC should observe the provisions of the Electoral Act and ensure that the processes for a run-off are conducted in a manner which is democratic and non- arbitrary.