Zim elections: DA refuses to sign SADC report

I have today refused to sign the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADCPF) Mission's majority report on the Zimbabwe elections, when requested to do so. I, along with 14 other observers, do not agree that the elections were free and fair.

Last night, the DA was asked to sign off on the SADCPF Mission's statement declaring the elections free and fair. I refused as my observations indicate that the credibility and fairness of the elections are questionable due to irregularities with the voters' roll.

The Zimbabwean electoral commissioner, Mkhululi Nyathi, has resigned citing the unprofessional manner in which the elections were conducted. He also implied that the elections were not free and fair.

Zimbabwean electoral legislation states that all parties should have access to the voters' roll well before the elections take place. This was not the case and the voters' roll remains elusive.

As we have said before, there were numerous irregularities with the preliminary voters' roll and people who were registered to vote were turned away on the day. People were also allowed to vote using registration slips which opens the process up to abuse and fraud.

Not only does this flout the law but it also calls into question the credibility of the vote.

There is no provision which allows for us to make a minority report but we thank the SADCPF Mission for including our dissenting view in their report.

The DA, however, does not agree with the SADCPF Mission's findings and we will be announcing our observations next week.

Statement issued by Masizole Mnqasela MP, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, August 3 2013

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