ZIMBABWEAN elections have been marred by allegations of rigging in the past

BULAWAYO – Zimbabwe authorities on Monday refused to say when they would announce election results, as non-governmental organisations said the state’s electoral commission lacked capacity and could take up to a week to name poll winners. 

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) said it would not commit itself to a date when it would announce results of the March 29 polls for fear this could spark Kenyan-style post-election violence in the event it failed to keep the promise because of possible delays in the voting process. 

“We do not want to be accused of rigging elections if we release the results earlier or later than the estimated dates . . . doing so might also spark post-election violence, similar to that experienced in Kenya,” ZEC spokesman Shupikai Mashereni told ZimOnline by phone. 

But the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) said the commission did not have the logistical capacity to run the multiple elections, the first ever in which Zimbabweans will choose a new president, senators, House of Assembly representatives and local councillors. 

“The ZEC has no capacity and the logistics to handle this election so the results might take between four days and one week before they are announced," said ZESN chairman, Noel Kututwa. 

The ZESN is a coalition of civic groups and is involved in providing voter education and monitoring of the electoral environment before and after elections. 

Opposition parties and election observers have in the past argued that delays in announcing poll winners allow time to tamper with results. 

But Zimbabwe’s Electoral Act does not set out specific time limits within which results should be announced, only saying this should happen immediately when results are ready and available. 

Zimbabwe goes to polls amid an acute economic recession critics blame on mismanagement by President Robert Mugabe and seen in the world’s highest inflation rate of more than 100 000 percent, 80 percent unemployment and shortages of food, fuel and foreign currency. 

However, analysts say an unfair playing field guarantees Mugabe victory. The veteran leader – who at one time boasted that no one could have run Zimbabwe better than him - has promised a landslide victory against main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and former finance minister Simba Makoni. – ZimOnline