2008 presidential elections in Zimbabwe
The presidential elections in Zimbabwe took place on March 29, 2008, along with parliamentary and local elections. A total of 5.9 million Zimbabweans were called to vote.
The focus of interest was on the presidential elections, in which incumbent President Robert Mugabe ran for a sixth term. Mugabe's challengers were the leader of the opposition party MDC , Morgan Tsvangirai , as well as the independent candidates Simba Makoni and Langton Towungana . While Towungana was not given a chance in the elections, Makoni, who was finance minister of Zimbabwe until 2002 and was excluded from the party by the ruling ZANU-PF party because of his candidacy , was considered the third promising presidential candidate in the run-up to the election.
In the run-up to the election, experts warned of election fraud and possible unrest. International election observers were largely excluded, only representatives of friendly states were admitted. Many foreign journalists were also not granted accreditation for election reporting .
Election campaign
After the last presidential election in 2002, in which Robert Mugabe was accused of election fraud, the date for the next election was long disputed. After the parliamentary elections on March 31, 2005, Mugabe initially announced that he would step down in 2007, but then it became known that the presidential election would be held together with the regular parliamentary elections in 2010. Finally, the central committee of the ruling ZANU-PF decided to shorten the term of office of the presidency and hold it together with early parliamentary elections in March 2008. Mugabe's renewed candidacy was confirmed in December 2007 by the ZANU-PF.
The final election date was set on January 25, 2008, despite threats of boycott by the opposition MDC, March 29, 2008. The short-term scheduling of the election, which gave the opposition little time to organize its election campaign and put an end to the attempts by South African President Mbeki to mediate between the government and the opposition, was criticized internationally.
The MDC finally decided to run for election with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Simba Makoni, who ran as an internal party opponent of Mugabe, and the independent politician Langton Towungana also ran for the presidency. Despite the tense economic situation in Zimbabwe, for which Mugabe's policies are blamed, the ruling ZANU was confident of victory.
During the election campaign, opposition politicians repeatedly expressed concern that the election could be manipulated. Fears have been expressed that the electoral roll may have been tampered with. The Zimbabwean government had excluded election observers from both the EU and the United States. European Union foreign ministers then expressed concern that the elections would not be free and fair; Representatives of the South African Development Community (SADC) were convinced that the elections were clean.
Polls ahead of the presidential election indicated a decision between Mugabe and Tsvangirai. The pro-government newspaper The Herald predicted an election victory for Mugabe with 56% of the vote the day before the election, followed by Tsvangirai with 27% and Makoni with 14%. Election day was largely peaceful, but attempts at manipulation became apparent during the ballot.
The main candidates
Robert Mugabe
Robert Mugabe has been head of government of the republic since Zimbabwe's independence, initially as prime minister under President Banana , and from 1987 in personal union as head of government and state president. Increasingly autocratic rule led to Mugabe's international isolation, his exclusion from the Commonwealth of Nations and massive economic problems in Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU-PF), led by Mugabe, generously distributed gifts in the form of food to the impoverished population and higher salaries for government employees.
Morgan Tsvangirai
Morgan Tsvangirai , leader of the divided opposition party MDC, ran against Mugabe in the 2002 presidential election, but lost to the incumbent in the first round. Nevertheless, Tsvangirai's 42% share of the vote was the highest ever that Mugabe's opponent could achieve.
Tsvangirai wants to lead Zimbabwe out of the crisis with economic reforms and an end to international isolation. The opposition has so far not given any further details on the government program. Talks between Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara , the leader of the group that had split off from the MDC, about a unification of the two factions failed in early February 2008. Mutambara declared that he did not want to run in the presidential election himself, but refused to support Tsvangirai and instead spoke out in favor of Simba Makoni.
Simba maconi
Simba Makoni did not announce his candidacy until February 5, 2008. He was Finance Minister of Zimbabwe from 2000 to 2002, but then fell out with President Mugabe. His surprising candidacy led to tensions in the ruling ZANU-PF party. Makoni was immediately expelled from the party, but in his election campaign he tried to win supporters of the ZANU-PF for himself. The former finance minister accuses President Robert Mugabe of causing the economic problems and high inflation himself. Makoni is considered a candidate supported by the West, according to the state-controlled newspaper The Herald , his election campaign was funded by British and South African companies.
After the election
Delayed announcement of election results
The first election results were expected for March 31, 2008, the slow counting of votes delayed the announcement of the official results. According to polls by the state-independent Zimbabwe Election Support Network , Morgan Tsvangirai should be ahead of Robert Mugabe, who won 42% of the vote, with 49% of the vote. According to these surveys, the independent applicant Makoni was rejected with a share of the vote of 8%. The newspaper The Herald reported that the first results showed that none of the candidates can achieve the necessary majority of more than 50%. In the parliamentary elections, the MDC and ZANU-PF are also fighting head-to-head.
Given the expected close election result, speculation about the fate of President Mugabe circulated. According to diplomatic circles, Mugabe did not want to run a second ballot; Rumors that the MDC was already holding talks with the Zimbabwean government about Mugabe's resignation were denied by both sides on April 1, and Robert Mugabe agreed to hold a possible second ballot against Tsvangirai at the beginning of April.
On April 2, 2008, the MDC declared itself the winner. The party announced that its candidate Tsvangirai won the presidential election with 50.3% of the vote. Shortly afterwards, the national electoral commission announced that the ruling party had lost its majority in the parliamentary elections. The split MDC won 109 seats after counting all constituencies, including 10 seats for Arthur Mutambara's group. President Mugabe's ZANU-PF had 97 seats, making it the first time since Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980 that it was not the strongest force in the country.
President Mugabe's camp questioned Tsvangirai's election victory and instead demanded a complete recount of all votes. Notwithstanding the protests of the opposition, the electoral commission began three weeks after the elections with the recounting of the votes for the parliamentary elections in 23 of 210 constituencies. However, no major changes compared to the first count were found, so the electoral commission confirmed the MDC's victory in the parliamentary elections.
An opposition request for immediate publication of the results of the presidential elections was rejected by the Zimbabwean Supreme Court on April 14th. Before the court decision, the MDC threatened to boycott a second round of the presidential election.
The ongoing dispute over the announcement of the election results led to an unification of the leading opposition leaders. Arthur Mutambara, who had led an MDC splinter group since 2005, and Morgan Tsvangirai jointly declared the differences over. The reunited MDC thus has an absolute majority of the parliamentary seats.
On May 2, 2008, five weeks after the ballot, the results of the presidential election were officially announced. According to this, Tsvangirai got 47.9% of the vote, Mugabe 43.2%. Both missed an absolute majority so that a runoff election is necessary.
Political crisis
The uncertain outcome of the presidential elections created a tense situation in Zimbabwe. Fears increased that the ZANU-PF might stay in power by force. In the capital Harare , a nocturnal ban on going out was imposed, heavily armed police patrol the streets and Robert Mugabe once again called for the defense of the country against "the whites". According to newspaper reports, several election officials were arrested on suspicion of fraud and abuse of office; they are accused of suppressing votes for Mugabe. At the end of April, special police forces stormed the MDC headquarters in Harare. Around 200 people were arrested in the raid. According to their own statements, the security forces reacted to acts of violence by MDC supporters against members of the ZANU-PF. The offices of independent election observers were also searched by the police, and documents for the counting of the votes were taken with them.
Morgan Tsvangirai called on the international community to help that it was time for a determined diplomatic initiative. In view of the MDC's victory in the general election, he offered to form a government of national unity. What role Robert Mugabe could play in such a government is a matter of negotiation. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern about the violation of the time limit set in the Zimbabwean Constitution to announce the results of the presidential elections. The European Union and US President Bush also called for the election results to be published immediately, and a US government spokesman confirmed Tsvangirai's victory.
Both the Zimbabwean government and the MDC attended a SADC crisis summit convened by Zambian President Mwanawasa on April 12, but Robert Mugabe himself stayed away from the meeting. On the same day, South African President Mbeki met with Mugabe in Harare; Mbeki is expected to resume mediation efforts after receiving Tsvangirai two days earlier. After the summit, SADC denied the existence of a crisis in Zimbabwe, but urged the government to publish the election results.
Runoff
It was only after long hesitation that the MDC decided to take part in the runoff election for president on June 27, 2008. Her candidate Morgan Tsvangirai told journalists in Pretoria , South Africa , that the second ballot would be the chance to knock out dictator Robert Mugabe. As conditions for his participation in the runoff election he named among other things an end to the violence, the dispatch of peacekeeping troops of the SADC and the admission of the international press and international observers.
The election campaign for the runoff election was also overshadowed by acts of violence and reprisals against opposition politicians. Many MDC politicians, including Arthur Mutambara, have been arrested on charges of vilifying President Mugabe. At least 60 opposition activists were killed in May alone. On June 12, 2008, the General Secretary of the MDC, Tendai Biti, was arrested on charges of high treason . If convicted, Biti faces the death penalty .
Despite evidence of plans to assassinate Morgan Tsvangirai, the opposition leader returned to Zimbabwe at the end of May. Tsvangirai was arrested on June 4, 2008 while on a campaign tour in Bulawayo city and interrogated for several hours. Further arrests followed shortly thereafter. At the same time, the police imposed a ban on gathering for the MDC in Harare because, according to their own statements, they could not guarantee the safety of the opposition politicians. A court lifted the ban and guaranteed the opposition freedom of assembly . The continued obstruction of the MDC election campaign sparked international protests.
As in the first round of voting, the Zimbabwean government announced that it would not allow Western election observers to participate in the runoff election. Zimbabwe also refused to send a special envoy from the United Nations . On June 5, 2008, Minister of Social Affairs Nicholas Goche called on all aid organizations and non-governmental organizations active in Zimbabwe to leave the country. Previously already CARE International has been ordered to stop their work because they had supported the opposition.
Two weeks before the runoff election, the African Union, the only international organization to announce that it would send election observers, called for an end to politically motivated violence in Zimbabwe. Notwithstanding this, Robert Mugabe openly threatened the Zimbabwean opposition, which he accused of treason, with war; he stated that during his lifetime Zimbabwe would never be taken over by traitors.
A few days before the date of the runoff election, Tsvangirai announced at a press conference in Harare on June 22, 2008 that he did not want to run for the runoff election. The reason given by the MDC candidate was the growing violence against his supporters during the election campaign. According to Tsvangirai, he could not expect his voters to “risk their lives”. A day later, the police stormed the MDC headquarters. Morgan Tsvangirai went to the Dutch embassy fearing for his life .
In the runoff election on June 27, 2008, Mugabe was officially declared the winner two days later. According to the election commission, he received 2.15 million votes (85.5%), while opposition leader Tsvangirai, whose name was still on the ballot papers, received 230,000 votes (9.3%). Immediately after the results were published, the Zimbabwean head of state took the oath of office and invited the opposition chief Tsvangirai to his inauguration, but he did not attend.
One month after Mugabe was sworn in, talks began between him and Tsvangirai about the participation of the MDC in government. With the mediation of South African President Mbeki, Mugabe and Tsvangirai agreed in September 2008 to end the political crisis. The MDC was supposed to provide the prime minister and control the Zimbabwean police force, while Mugabe's ZANU-PF was allowed to lead the military . On February 11, 2009, Morgan Tsvangirai was sworn in as Prime Minister, Thokozani Khupe , MDC deputy chairwoman, Arthur Mutambara , chairman of the MDC-M faction , were appointed as his deputy .
Election results
Parliamentary elections
207 of 210 parliamentary seats were newly elected.
| Political party | Party leader | Seats | Share of votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) | Morgan Tsvangirai | 99 | 42.9% |
| Arthur Mutambara | 10 | 8.4% | |
| Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU-PF) | Robert Mugabe | 97 | 45.9% |
| other parties | 0 | 0.5% | |
| independent candidates | 1 | 2.3% |
Presidential election
Results of the first and second ballot according to official information.
| candidate | Political party | Share of votes |
Share of votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan Tsvangirai | MDC | 47.9% | 9.3% |
| Robert Mugabe | ZANU-PF | 43.2% | 85.5% |
| Simba maconi | Independent candidate | 8.3% |
|
| Langton Towungana | Independent candidate | 0.6% |
|
literature
- Davoodi, Schoresch & Sow, Adama: Democracy and Peace in Zimbabwe ( Memento of March 24, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF) In: EPU Research Papers. No. 12/08, Stadtschlaining 2008.
Web links
- Official website of the Parliament
- Official website of ZANU-PF ( Memento of February 5, 2005 in the Internet Archive )
- Official website of the MDC
- Independent election results ( Memento of August 12, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
Individual evidence
- ↑ focus.de
- ↑ a b AFP : Zimbabwe presidential candidates confirmed ( memento of February 18, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) of February 15, 2008.
- ↑ Der Standard : No election observers from Western Europe and the USA invited ( Memento of the original from May 31, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. dated March 7, 2008.
- ↑ IRIN : ZIMBABWE: Mugabe set to rule until 2010 of December 14, 2006.
- ↑ Sydney Morning Herald: Zimbabwe's Mugabe to stand in the 2008 poll of March 31, 2007.
- ^ Neue Zürcher Zeitung : Elections in Zimbabwe on March 29, January 26, 2008.
- ↑ mopo.de
- ↑ BBC News : First poll observers in Zimbabwe, March 11, 2008.
- ↑ Stern : Mugabe is confident of victory on March 29, 2008.
- ↑ Tagesschau : Peaceful, but unfair? ( Memento of May 29, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) of March 30, 2008.
- ↑ Tagesschau : From hope to tyrant ( Memento from May 29, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) from March 29, 2008.
- ↑ BBC News : Zimbabwe opposition fail to unite, February 4, 2008.
- ↑ BBC News : Mugabe rival expelled from party, February 12, 2008.
- ↑ New Zimbabwe: UK, South Africa companies deny funding Makoni ( Memento of the original of April 8, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. dated March 4, 2008.
- ^ Neue Zürcher Zeitung : Zimbabwe's electoral commission takes its time from April 1, 2008.
- ↑ BBC News : Zimbabwe election pressure mounts, April 2, 2008.
- ↑ Neue Zürcher Zeitung : Rumors of Mugabe's possible resignation from April 2, 2008.
- ^ A b Wiener Zeitung : Mugabe wants to stand in the runoff election on April 4, 2008.
- ↑ Reuters : "Final result: Opposition in Zimbabwe conquers parliament" ( Memento of April 8, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) of April 3, 2008
- ↑ Die Presse : Zimbabwe: Mugabe Party calls for complete recount from April 6, 2008.
- ↑ Tages-Anzeiger : Mugabe party has lost elections ( Memento from April 30, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) from April 26, 2008.
- ↑ Die Presse : Zimbabwe: Court rejects opposition motion dated April 14, 2008.
- ↑ ORF.at : Zimbabwe: Opposition refuses to vote for the president ( memento of the original from April 14, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. dated April 10, 2008.
- ^ Neue Zürcher Zeitung : Zimbabwe's opposition united against Mugabe, April 29, 2008.
- ↑ a b BBC News : Zimbabwe announces poll results of May 2, 2008.
- ↑ a b c AFP : Bush demands publication of the election results in Zimbabwe ( memento from January 24, 2013 in the web archive archive.today ) from April 8, 2008.
- ↑ a b Tages-Anzeiger : Raid on the opposition in Zimbabwe ( Memento from April 28, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) from April 25, 2008.
- ↑ Die Presse : Mugabe calls for defense against "the whites" April 7, 2008.
- ↑ Tages-Anzeiger : Opposition wants government of national unity ( Memento of April 13, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) of April 9, 2008.
- ↑ Tagesschau : Concern about development in Zimbabwe ( Memento from May 29, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) from April 12, 2008.
- ↑ Die Presse , "There Is No Crisis In Zimbabwe," April 13, 2008.
- ↑ Tagesschau : Opposition leader Tsvangirai ready for runoff election ( memento of May 29, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) of May 10, 2008
- ^ Neue Zürcher Zeitung : Repression in Zimbabwe intensified again from June 3, 2008.
- ↑ a b Die Presse : Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai continues his election campaign from June 6, 2008.
- ↑ Focus : Opposition politician Biti reported for high treason from June 12, 2008.
- ↑ Deutsche Welle : Tsvangirai returns to Zimbabwe for the runoff election on May 24, 2008.
- ↑ Focus : resolves freedom of assembly for the opposition on June 7, 2008
- ↑ AFP : Mugabe rejects UN special envoy for Zimbabwe ( memento of June 5, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) of June 4, 2008.
- ↑ Tagesschau : Aid organizations have to stop work ( Memento from May 29, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) from June 5, 2008.
- ↑ Focus : African Union calls for an end to violence before the elections on June 13, 2008.
- ↑ Die Welt : Robert Mugabe openly threatens war on June 15, 2008.
- ↑ Der Spiegel : Mugabe opponent surrenders to the violence of June 22, 2008.
- ↑ Der Spiegel : Zimbabwe's opposition leader flees in a message dated June 23, 2008.
- ↑ Mugabe sworn in again as president. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung . June 28, 2008. Retrieved June 29, 2012 .
- ^ The Times : Power-sharing deal signed in Zimbabwe , September 15, 2008.
- ↑ BBC News : Tsvangirai becomes Zimbabwe's PM , February 11, 2009.
- ↑ The Herald: Zimbabwe: Zanu-PF, MDC-T in Photo Finish of April 3, 2008.
