ACDP statement on Zimbabwe elections: "Free but not fair"

Rev Kenneth Meshoe MP


The ACDP is relieved that the elections in Zimbabwe were relatively peaceful and free but definitely not fair. The electoral field was heavily skewed and oppressive in favour of the ruling party, Zanu-PF, thus ensuring their victory.

The fact that the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan expressed his concerns about the fairness of the Zimbabwean elections, and that the African Union Observer team expressed concern at media reports alleging that the number of votes did not tally with the final vote in several constituencies, vindicates the position of those who believe that the Zimbabwean elections may have been free but they were not fair.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) guidelines for free and fair elections recognized that conditions in the run-up to the elections are as important as conduct on the day of elections in deciding whether free and fair elections took place.

In terms of article 2.2.5 of the SADC protocol, SADC states are obliged to open up public media to opposition parties. However, by the end of February, no attempts had been made to open the public media, three independent newspapers had been shut down, and leading journalists had been intimidated and had fled the country. It was only in the last week before the elections that the public broadcaster allowed the opposition access, and then time was allocated disproportionately in favour of Zanu-PF.

It is for these reasons that the ACDP believes that the elections were free but not fair.