Article by Rutendo Matinyarare
In Zimbabwe, each polling station hosts election observers from organizations like SADC, EU, Commonwealth, individual nations, etc., as well as polling agents, party agents, and international journalists. Some international observers even include secret service members from foreign countries.
To commence the voting process, ZEC officials, polling agents, party agents and international observers inspect the ballot boxes to ensure they aren’t stuffed with extra ballots before the vote.
Throughout the day, all these stakeholders monitor the polling station, tracking the number of voters casting their votes.
After voting concludes, ballots are collected and counted by ZEC (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission) within the polling station. This process takes place in front of police, polling agents, party agents, international observers and the media, who can then cross-check the numbers against their voter turnout count and the voter register filled by ZEC officials.
Once the vote tally is complete, and it’s agreed that the voter turnout and numbers correspond, the results are recorded on a V11 form, which is signed by polling agents and party agents. This signing occurs in the presence of media and observers, and the form is posted outside the polling station for the public and transparency.
Each political party must then send versions of these V11s from all 12400 plus polling stations to their headquarters to tally the national vote and record-keeping. This serves as evidence that the polling process was audited and approved by all party agents in front of observers and other accredited witnesses.
In case of disputes or allegations of rigging, parties can then present these verified and signed V11s in court to demonstrate any discrepancies.
In the 2018 Presidential election, Chamisa alleged that the elections were rigged, but he failed to provide these V11s as evidence of his claim. So the question is, how did Chamisa know that there was rigging when he failed to collect the critical V11 evidence?
Understanding this process makes it clear that ZANU PF has limited opportunity to rig elections in Zimbabwe, given that V11s are generated at polling stations with oversight from party agents, international observers, and the media.
This illustrates that only the opposition in Zimbabwe manipulates elections through illegal sanctions that punish and persecute Zimbabweans to force the electorate to vote for the opposition.
It’s time we arrest those who manipulate our electoral process through the persecution of civilians to force them to vote for them. This is a crime against humanity.
