A Stolen Election

By declaring himself the victor in an unfair election, Robert Mugabe, the internationally demonized dictator of Zimbabwe, has made a mockery of the democratic process. The three days of polling that led to Mugabe’s “reelection” were marred with widespread reports of irregularities and intimidation. Long lines indicated insufficient numbers of polling stations, especially in urban areas where there was heavy support for the opposition candidate, former union leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Consequentially, despite the multi-day election, thousands of those who waited were unable to cast their ballot before government security forces forcibly closed polling stations on the last day.

The illegitimacy of the election can be traced to long before the polls actually opened. Thousands of arrests and over 100 politically motivated assassinations marked the months leading up the election, as Mugabe sought to consolidate his power and prevent any truly organized opposition from functioning. New legislation prevented opposition political rallies and private voter education, and independent journalists were intimidated and driven from the country. A headline in the Independent, a daily British newspaper, aptly summarized the election: “Mugabe spent two years plotting victory at polls.”

Clearly, the international community must respond to Zimbabwe’s flawed elections and Mugabe’s flagrant abuse of executive power. An attempt by the United States and Great Britain to convince Mugabe to share power in a national-unity government appears to have failed, indicating even more strongly Mugabe’s determination to cling to power. In response, the European Union (EU) and the United States have condemned the elections. The EU imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe before the election was even held, following the expulsion of European election observers, and EU ministers are set to discuss the possibility of further measures. In the United States, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell’s vocal criticism of the elections is welcome, but additional diplomatic measures should be considered in order to influence Mugabe.

Criticism of Mugabe from many fellow African nations has been significantly less noticeable. Although the Southern Africa Development Community, a 14-nation consortium, condemned the elections as non-compliant “with the norms and standards for elections in the…region,” an independent observer mission from South Africa, the regional superpower and nation with the most potential influence over Zimbabwean affairs, failed to take a similar hard line. The South Africans conceded that the elections were not “free and fair,” but still saw fit to declare the result “legitimate.” Teams from Namibia and Nigeria drew similar conclusions, and Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi lost no time in congratulating his “dear brother” on his reelection.

In a region not known for its democratic processes or governance, the declarations that Mugabe’s election was legitimate are only symptoms of a larger malady. The nations that are willing to overlook the obviously flawed electoral process in Zimbabwe have little credibility left on the subject of democracy and legitimate governance.