ZANU-PF, CCC frustrated by ZEC

POLITICAL actors are frustrated over the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec)’s lack of resolve to set up a web portal for the transmission of presidential results in real-time in the coming 2023 general elections.

This follows a recent election in Kenya which utilised a web portal for the announcement of presidential results where users were able to track results in real time. The success recorded in that East African nation’s election has triggered interest among local political actors that the electoral body can take that route.

Zec spokesperson commissioner Jasper Mangwana said the commission has never debated on creating such a platform.

“We haven’t yet made any decision regarding the matter”.

In Kenya, newspapers, political parties, and other organisations were able to collect unofficial results since the electoral commission provided polling place tallies as they became available on the website.

Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvagwa said Zec must also adopt new technology if there is the capacity to display 2023 presidential results in real time.

“We are in the age of technology. Zec should adopt what Kenya did if they can display the presidential results in real time.

“The world has gone digital, so why can’t Zec do it as well if possible within their means? Many Zimbabweans have adopted the use of technology through smartphones and this can improve Zec’s electoral processes by simply displaying results in real time”

Zimbabwean political actors are increasingly losing confidence in Zec over its management of electoral processes.

Election Resource Centre (ERC) director Barbra Bhebe told the Independent that setting up a web portal for presidential results in real time could rebuild voter confidence.

“Setting up a digital platform for providing results in real time could go a long way in building voter confidence in the commission’s results management process given questions concerning the integrity of the results delivery process that characterised the 2018 harmonised elections,”

Opposition Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) led by Nelson Chamisa has accused Zec of rigging elections in favour of the ruling Zanu PF party. CCC deputy secretary for elections Ellen Shiriyedenga said that Zec has failed to improve its credibility, especially on electoral reforms.

“If Zec won't cooperate on digital platforms appropriate for the credibility of election results, then that leaves citizens with no choice but to implement other systems that can account for the 2023 results and evade the mathematical inadequacies characteristic of the 2018 election results”

Political commentator Rashweat Mukundu said Zec has shown no signs of creating a level playing field for political parties in Zimbabwe.

“There is no intention on the part of Zec to hold a transparent free and fair election in 2023 and the refusal to go digital in terms of results transmission says a lot. African countries like Kenya, and South Africa have done that and it worked so why should Zec want to rely on its old ways of manipulating results allowing the ruling party to control the electoral processes? The biggest problem is that Zec is controlled by the military”.

Another political analyst Vivid Gwede said the issue of transparency on the voters' roll and real-time transmission of results is a key area for concern.

“The need to fight for reforms ahead of the 2023 elections cannot be overstated. The issue of transparency with the voters' roll and real time transmission of results is one of the key areas of concern. Without securing these reforms, the credibility of the election will be affected”