Summary:
- Zimbabwe's election conducted in a climate of fear, says EU observer mission head
- Acts of violence, intimidation, and lack of transparency noted in the election
- Economic challenges make fair election crucial for debt crisis resolution
- Southern African Development Community observer team reports peaceful voting but highlights issues
- President Mnengagwa's party expected to maintain power despite concerns of manipulation
Zimbabwe's election was conducted in a climate of fear, the head of the European Union's observer mission has said.
At a press conference on Friday, Fabio Massimo Castaldo said there had been acts of violence and intimidation, adding that Wednesday's vote did not meet international standards for transparency. The curtail rights and a lack of levelling field led to an environment that was not always conducive to voters making a genuine and informed choice. That's important because of the dire state of Zimbabwe's economy, which is struggling with soaring inflation and high unemployment. Foreign lenders have said a free and fair election is a precondition for meaningful talks on resolving a debt crisis and the provision of World Bank and International Monetary Fund loans. An observer team from the Southern African Development Community said voting was peaceful. However, it also noted issues including voting delays, the banning of rallies and biased state media coverage.
President Emerson Mnengagwa's Zanu Pief had been widely expected to maintain its 43-year grip on power in the parliamentary and presidential poll. Though the government and the Electoral Commission had promised a clean election, political analysts said it was likely to be heavily skewed in Mnengagwa's favor due to his party's history of using state institutions to manipulate results. Partial results on Friday from the parliamentary election appear to show a growing lead for the ruling party.