Zimbabwe 2023 Elections: Jonathan Moyo Discusses Real-time Announcement Of Results

Self-exiled former Information minister, Professor Jonathan Moyo has discussed the importance of real-time announcement of election results as Zimbabwe gears for 2023 harmonised elections. He was responding to the release of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC)’s 7 Electoral Reform Demands last week. In a Twitter thread seen by Pindula News, Moyo said the announcement is different from the declaration of results. We present his thread below:

The release of #CCC’s “7 electoral reform demands” has exposed the telling fact that the party and its loquacious trolls don’t know that election results in Zim are ANNOUNCED, in real-time at polling stations, immediately after vote counting. This is huge for vote defence!

In terms of s37C of the Electoral Act, see attachment, Zimbabwe’s election system has five electoral centres. These five election centres have complementary roles; with each having its own election return (called a V-Form) and a distinct function in the election system!

In terms of s38 of the Electoral Act, attached, Zimbabwe’s plebiscite harmonises three elections that are run simultaneously: General (parliamentary), local authority and presidential elections. Results of these elections are ANNOUNCED in real-time at polling stations!

Real-time result ANNOUNCEMENT is done in terms of s64(d) of the Electoral Act which mandates the presiding officer to: “Display (announce) the polling station return (V11) to those present”. The display is before publication of the result outside of the polling station!

In terms of s64(c) of the Electoral Act the result ANNOUNCEMENT made to those present: “records on the polling station return (V11) the votes obtained by each candidate and the number of rejected ballot papers”. Notably, the ANNOUNCEMENT does not declare any winners!

In 2018, results of the parliamentary, local authority and presidential elections were ANNOUNCED in real-time to those who were present inside the 11,985 polling stations for that election; in terms of s64(d) of the Electoral Act. One had to be present to see the Display!

A real-time result DISPLAY (or ANNOUNCEMENT) is different from a result DECLARATION. Election result for an MP (or Councillor) is DECLARED in terms of s65A(3)(b), read with s66 of the Electoral Act. The result of a presidential election is DECLARED in terms of s110(f)!

Polling stations only ANNOUNCE/DISPLAY results in real-time. Ward centres; constituency centres; provincial command centres and the national command centre ANNOUNCE/DISPLAY V23A, V23B, V23C and V23D results for councillors, MPs and President and DECLARE applicable winners!

So, winners of local govt election are DECLARED at ward centres (V23A); election for MP winners at constituency centres (V23B); proportional representation MPs at provincial command centres (V23C) & winner of presidential election at national command centre (V23D plus V23B)!

To sum up, results of local authority, parliamentary and presidential elections are by law ANNOUNCED/DISPLAYED in real-time at all polling stations. DECLARATION OF POLL RESULTS is done at ward, constituency, provincial command & national command centres; not in real-time!

On the left is a V11 real-time ANNOUNCEMENT of a result of a 2018 parliamentary election of a polling station in Chegutu West by its presiding officer; on the right is the DECLARATION of the election result by the Constituency Elections Officer. Notice the different dates!

It’s not true that there’s no real-time announcement of election results in Zim’s election system, there is; it’s done at polling stations. But political parties cannot competently cope with or challenge the system, without competent polling agents at all polling stations!

Although @nelsonchamisa says #CCC’s blueprint for seven electoral reform demands comes “after extensive consultations with citizens”; authors of the blueprint list six sources of the demands, which don’t include Chamisa’s purportedly “extensive consultations with citizens”! Clearly, @nelsonchamisa’s claim that #CCC’s electoral reform demands came “after extensive consultations with citizens” exposes the pitfall of #CCC’s lack of structures. No political party anywhere can do “extensive consultations with citizens”, without structures. Never!

CCC’s claim that it based its ‘7 electoral reform demands’ on the Motlanthe Commission Report is disingenuous: the demands exclude key recommendations of Motlanthe Commission, including: “THE NEED FOR THE REGISTRATION OF POLITICAL PARTIES TO ENSURE THEIR ACCOUNTABILITY”!

For the ease of reference, here is #CCC ‘PREPARE’ document with the party’s “7 electoral reform demands”. Notably, nothing in this #CCC document proposes specific amendments to the Constitution, Electoral Act or Regulation or to any other law!