Zimbabwe: Evan Mawarire video message – “They shot and killed freedom today” (01.08.2018)

Zimbabwe: Operation Restore Legacy in full effect in the streets of Harare!

On the 17th June 2018, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, the former Commander of Zimbabwe Defense Force promised that the army launched on 13th November 2017 to topple the dictatorship of Robert Mugabe was not to end until they secured victory on the 30th July 2018. So, until the swearing-in of Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) and the continuation of incumbency of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

That is not in full effect, the ones who thought otherwise, have been blind to the fact. As the Parliament will be run by the ZANU-PF, the MDC and Opposition will be minor players, the same is happening in the constituencies too. This is clearly maneuvering the power among themselves.

The ZDF has to shown that the words of Chiwenga is true today, the live bullets, the tear-gas and the killings of demonstrators in Harare. Shows today that the Operation Restore Legacy is still in play, as it was the army who was attacking and quelling the demonstrations. The Police Officers was just looking at the skirmishes in the streets.

The Military did intervene and has shown actions. They have acted with bad faith, some demonstrators acted bad too, as they put buses and cars on fire. That is bad, but they should be detained for doing so, not possibly being hurt and killed. That is not justice, that is just killing randomly to intimidate and silence the masses.

That soldiers are shooting live bullets into the demonstrators, into civilians… that is just wrong. Nothing, none, can be said, which is stating the dire sadness of the deaths in the streets today. They are mere victims of lingering to power and ordering a sham election.

Now, they are killing the innocent people in the street, the ones demonstrating against the government and the ZDF, who has used their force to silence people. This is not action of someone winning an election, but of someone losing it and taking control of it. They cannot manage the power of the people and have to kill the ones questioning it.

This is just sad news… there isn’t anything positive to say about this. The army and soldiers just killed and took charge, they are trying to kill the public into submission. This is not the way anyone win elections, this is how you rig elections and secure the thief the price. Therefore, the further announcements now, will be forged and made to ensure the Operation Restore Legacy lives on.

Not the people’s will, but the ZANU-PF and the Lacoste fraction. Peace.

Zimbabwe: MISA Statement – Media Freedom violations amidst political demonstrations (01.08.2018)

African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) to Zimbabwe 30 July 2018 Harmonised Elections Preliminary Statement Harare, 1 August 2018 (01.08.2018)

Zimbabwe: Joint IRI/NDI Delegation in Zimbabwe Issues Election Preliminary Statement, Too Early to Make Assessment on Nature of Elections (01.08.2018)

Zimbabwe: EU EOPM Press Release – Improved political climate, but un-level playing field and lack of trust in the process (01.08.2018)

Opinion: ZEC busy cooking and ZANU-PF winning, while they are warning the Opposition!

Not, that I am in any doubt of the results, seemingly the announced winners of Members of Parliament are mostly Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), whose has slammed these elections. Therefore, if the MP elections are a warning of what to come, than the ruling regime are getting the Executive like it has since 1980. However, there indications of other results and for the Movement for Democratic Change – Alliance (MDC-Alliance) Nelson Chamisa. That is why the government have issued an order, that the public are not allowed to announce results.

That way this is done now, is to force people to accept the results from Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the appointed men from Zanu-PF. That being people loyal to the cause and maybe even Operation Restore Legacy, therefore, the cause might be to re-elect and make sure President Emmerson Mnangagwa is legitimate. I have already questioned the long awaited result, as it was officially to announced on the 4th August 2018. FIVE Whole days from the polls, which is amazingly long in the life of a politician and longer for major Presidential Candidates. It is like slow boiling it and hoping you don’t burn the stew.

Why I am extra worry, when the government sponsored and run newspaper print this today:

GOVERNMENT has warned political parties and individuals to desist from the unlawful announcement of results of yesterday’s 2018 harmonised election results as this is a serious offence and they risks arrest. This was said by Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Dr Obert Mpofu this evening. Dr Mpofu’s pronouncement comes after MDC Alliance principals Nelson Chamisa and Tendai Biti turned to social media and press conferences to announce that they have won the elections. Section 66A of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) outlaws the unofficial or false announcement of poll results. Announcements of official results are a prerogative of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission” (The Herald, 31.07.2018).

It is like the ZEC and ZANU-PF doesn’t under stand this, as they have blocked the V11 Forms to be published today, showing the official results from the polling stations. This to make sure the citizens can crunch the numbers together with civil society organizations and opposition parties can go through the counted ballots. It doesn’t help that the Police are sending water-canons to Morgan Tsvangirai House in Harare. This is all just suspicious and also divert the attention from the reality on the ground.

The lateness and distorted way of announcing the results are not making it better. There are questions opening up, I am still boggled that the ZEC used another voter roll, than the ones they delivered to the parties before the elections. It is like they have hidden something from them. To ensure their final verdict for announcement. If they had done it all within the bounds, it wouldn’t be questionable and would be fair. Instead, all the issues are weird, as the ZEC are continuing pushing numbers that are fitting the ZANU-PF. Seemingly, like always they are getting most seats and positions, just like under the Goblin.

The only difference, is some of the names and that MDC are getting some pieces… but not anything substantial. Just like Mugabe’s new party – NPF got one MP as well, because why not, right?

All numbers and all MPs seems to be fitted for another term of supremacy, this isn’t child’s play. We can just wonder what sort of numbers they are cooking, because the momentum of MDC seems to be scratched away, like it was lie, but these numbers might be lies. Because the ZANU-PF and ZEC are telling only to believe their numbers and only their announcements. Not ask or check others who has crunched the numbers. That is a worrying sign and could show the next level.

The tiredness of ZANU-PF, shouldn’t give them a giant slam and secure the Parliament, however it does. That just doesn’t make sense, neither did the Bond-Notes, but they still gave the public that too.

Let see how this goes, but just hours after the polls and the doubts of just play is in the air and within reason. This just make it all sounds like weird and like we are repeating other hopeful times. Where the hope of rallies and campaigns have been there for the opposition, but when the election comes. All results still fits like a glove for the ZANU-PF. That is how today seems and we have been here before. This isn’t the first nor the last election where this will happen.

ZANU-PF controlled ZEC and didn’t reform electoral laws before the election. This was made to secure their place and their majority. The proof is in the pudding. Just taste the bitter-sweet treat and hope you doesn’t vomit later. Peace.

Zimbabwe: ZESN 2018 Harmonised Election – Preliminary Statement (31.07.2018)

Zimbabwe: Movement for Democratic Change – “Re: Official Statement on Election Results” (31.07.2018)

Opinion: We now have the Long Wait to the 4th August 2018 for the Presidential Results!

There will be a long awaited result, as we are now waiting to the 4th August. That is when the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) shall announce the winner of the Presidential Election. The first one since the coup in November 2017. That means it takes 5 days for the ZEC to validate the ballots and secure the results from all parts of Zimbabwe. That is a long time.

That opens up the question, as the Voter Roll changed and was never shown, the lacking quality of the ballot paper has also been told to the Press. Combined with the 1 % of voters turned away from the Polling Stations. The good news that the public didn’t meet intimidation or violence this time around.

There are big questions, there will be a lot of speculation and if the preliminary results will be right or the ones announced will be different. That is what you can wonder. When it takes such a long time to announce, you start to question the ZEC.

As we can hope the reality will be positive and hope not for rigging, but you get insecure, when the ZEC have so long time and made sure they have allocated that to themselves. That is what I am worrying about.

I hope I am terribly wrong and that the positive indications are working in favor of the power of the people, that the general feedback are positive, even if there are some places where the old practices are happening. Like Polling Station Officials telling voters to not look at counting and not wait for he official result from the Polling Station. Just like earlier report of lost Polling Stations and also some bribery of giving rice and other goodies to the voters. That shouldn’t be happening, but still has occurred.

We can just hope, that the tight knit race between ZANU-PF and MDC-Alliance will end well, not in violence or relentless politics that even more destructive, but the ZEC should have secured the big questions and delivered results as quickly as it could. This just seems deliberate to configure the numbers in favor of someone.

We can just pray for ending well, as the campaign has been peaceful, even with minor incidents of violence between camps. But nothing like in the past. There are hope and good spirit in the air. Let’s hope ZEC delivers and not only gives the public false hope of possible change.

It is now Post-Mugabe in Zimbabwe. Let’s hope that his ghosts doesn’t roam in the institutions and take control just to favor Emmerson Mnangagwa, but what the public want in general. If that is Nelson Chamisa, let that happen and not rig the numbers. Peace.