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Zim Elections:EU Observer Mission lauds turn out but critical of soft intimidation

August 02, 2018

By Nevson Mpofu [caption id="attachment_50970" align="alignleft" width="463"]European Union Election Observation Mission Chief Observer Elmar Brok (centre) briefing journalists in Harare. Picture: @eueomzimbabwe/Facebook.com. European Union Election Observation Mission Chief Observer Elmar Brok (centre) briefing journalists in Harare. Picture: @eueomzimbabwe/Facebook.com.[/caption] European Union Election Observer Mission in Zimbabwe has declared the recent elections as not free, fair and credible at all. This has come at a time the preliminary results of the Elections are pronounced by ZEC, ZANU PF leading all the way in all rural areas. By the time of going to Press, ZANU PF out of 140 constituencies had won 110 and MDC Alliance 38 and two for other Independent candidates. Elmah Brok today in Harare at a Press Conference in the chagrin of lack of transparency of the State Media spoke out in short , precise declarative voice . ‘’The Elections were not free, fair and credible, why I testify. Public Media was biased and prejudicial. The voices and will of the people through Media was far away from fairly being handled, ‘’Peaceful elections, yes, but underground activities, soft intimidation and inside biting in stealthy tactics ‘’ The EU witnessed hidden intimidation in rural areas prior to elections, before casting the vote and after. This they say was done more silently in stealth and cool tones. Norbert Neuser from Germany, Head of European Parliament Delegation pointed out that the main voice of the Public Media was negative towards MDC Alliance. ‘’Soft intimidation was the main hiding snake’’ in rural areas where people were voting in fear, with confusion and without literacy’’ ‘’ZEC failed to display positive perspectives to the public. There was less voter education in most rural or even urban areas .In-fact there was strategy of insufficient information to pervade rural folk for confusion and less extra-sensory perceptions’’ . ‘’There are short comings even up to now of whispers related to soft intimidation , that targets those in favor of MDC Opposition . There is strong linkage between ZANU PF , MDC ,ZEC and Public Media like Herald and ZBC . This emerged with evidence that is in all people’s hands. Nobert said the number of women and young people was marvelous. However he cited lack of dialogues among them, lack of more voter education and creation of confusion, fuming terror, perplexing future aftermath of elections terror. ‘’We are still to see and dig further into these issues. People are confused about the reality on ground. They thought otherwise, for a new change in the country, he said’’ The QUESTION OF THE DAY.A foreign Journalist asked Elmah Brok  .’’Do you see ZEC transparency? Elmar Brok got cornered during the question and Answer session. Elmar nodded in Nathan tones, boggled in mind answering with a snarling face . ‘’ In the future you need to revamp ZEC please. It must be Independent. How can it be transparent if it falls under the State and the State is in friction with opposition.’’? On ununiformed Military intimidation circulating news in the rural communities, he drew laughter from the crowd by shouting, ‘’Unfortunately I do not know them, can -not identify if dressed that way’’. ‘’My big statement is, Electoral Bodies in Africa must be Independent .But meanwhile ask me later for more’’, he said in precise. Deputy EU Election Observer Mission Mark Stevens cried foul over the issue of Traditional Leaders who were reported in massive intimidation in rural areas. ‘’The intimidation of traditional leaders contributes to this soft intimidation. The whole process lies on the floor with more to assay before and after the final results which we wait for now,’’ he concluded.

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