non-event.
Many argue that the elections, which will pit Zanu (PF) against the fractured opposition Movement for Democratic Change, have been marked by voter apathy, lack of publicity, and millions of Zimbabweans outside the country being denied the ballot.
The nationwide voter-registration process ended almost unnoticed on August
17. Many people who should have put their names down said they were unaware of registration, and critics complained the process was manipulated to exclude opposition supporters.
The joint elections have been tentatively set for March 2008, but fears of a low turnout have already prompted talk of a postponement to next June.
John Mlilo, from Mataga, 450km south of Harare, was typical of rural residents who were caught unawares by the voter registration effort.
“It is unusual for people to be registered for elections this early. Perhaps there was something wrong,” he said. “Normally they register people at the local primary school but this time there was nothing. I doubt if anybody registered to vote in this ward because we would have heard about it.”
The mobile voter-registration teams have two components – members of the government-appointed Electoral Supervisory Commission, and staff from the Registrar General’s Office who issue birth certificates and national identification documents to those who do not have them, as this is a
prerequisite for voting.
Mlilo said he had heard that ‘Mugabe people’ were issuing IDs and birth
certificates, but not that voters were being registered.
A political scientist at the University of Zimbabwe said many people in
urban as well as rural areas may have missed the deadline because the
registration campaign was poorly advertised and because they were being given mixed messages.
“Every day, people are being told about talks taking place in South Africa, while back home people are being quietly registered to vote. It’s just too packed and confusing,” he said.
Zanu (PF)’s low-key approach to registering voters was cause for concern. This was true even in those rural areas where Zanu (PF) can normally expect a clear majority.
“There is definitely something afoot,” he said. “The elections may be no more than symbolic. Zanu (PF) is already manufacturing figures and names before the election dates are known to the rest of the nation.”
A controversial constitutional amendment being pushed by Zanu (PF) would increase the number of seats in the lower house from 150 to 210, and from 66 to 84 in the upper chamber.
“What I don’t understand is why they are keen to increase the number of Senate and constituency seats when all the evidence points to fewer voters next year,” he said.
There have been allegations that the voter registration campaign is being used to stop opposition supporters getting onto the electoral roll. The Zimbabwe Election Support Network, a non-government organisation that does voter education, has reported that traditional leaders in rural areas are excluding known supporters of opposition parties, for example denying them ID papers.
Fidelis Mhashu, an MDC Member of Parliament for Chitungwiza, claimed that some 65 residential properties in his constituency had been omitted from the document used as proof of residence. He warned that if this practice proved to be more widespread, it would prejudice the MDC in the polls.
The political scientist noted that the bitter acrimony between the MDC’s two rival factions had not helped focus the minds of potential opposition voters.
“Because of their own internal problems, the two factions were unable to educate their constituents on the need to register,” he said. “Many are further still not sure whether their party is going to participate in next year’s elections, or not.”
Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of one of the MDC factions, recently warned that his party might not take part in the polls if the Mbeki-mediated talks in South Africa failed to extract sufficient concessions from the ruling party to ensure free and fair elections.
The schism has lost the MDC goodwill and credibility among its supporters since the 2000 general election, when it lost to Zanu (PF) only narrowly.
“We can argue about rigging and this and that, but the fact remains that the MDC is never, and will never be, the same party we voted for in 2000,” said Abel Tsuro, a civil servant in Harare. “The party has squandered a lot of goodwill because of internal squabbles. Many people have lost hope that it can ever beat Zanu (PF). Most of them have been frustrated out of the polling booth.
“Add to this the estimated three million Zimbabweans reportedly living in the diaspora and it gives you a bleak picture of the MDC.”
He concluded, “Despite the hype, next year’s election is going to be a lacklustre affair, with perhaps the lowest voter turnout we have seen in
many years.” – IWPR
Post published in: News