assistance of known ZANU PF supporters. This includes individuals cited in Tsvangirai’s
original election petition and individuals interviewed by the authors themselves.100
To conclude: there are convincing accounts that in some rural constituencies, there was
systematic, coerced assisted voting. However, the provincial figures are not unusually high
compared to the illiteracy rates – and we have only ZEC’s figures to go on. The assisted vote
figures for 2013 will now provide a baseline for future elections.
6.
CONSTITUENCIES WITH MORE THAN 50% INCREASE
IN VOTERS FROM 2008 TO 2013101
Commentators have pointed to the massive increases in some constituency turnouts as
indicative of some kind of irregularity, such as alleged busing in of voters from outside
constituencies, use of false registration slips, or double voting by some voters.102 The fact
that so many of the high turnout constituencies were in ZANU PF strongholds has been
seen as indicative of an attempt to bolster the presidential vote for Mugabe.
FIGURE 5:
100 ZESN Election 2013 report, page 61, 84‐87 for detailed incidents noted by their observers of assisted
voting irregularities in 17 named constituencies. Daily News, “ ‘I can’t read and write’: Learned voters
coerced into claiming illiteracy”, Harare, 4 August 2013.
101 See Appendix 5 for actual % increases per constituency in all 51, plus who won each one: also for
comparative increases/decreases in MDC‐T vs ZANU PF votes in 15 key constituencies in Harare, Byo and
rural Mashonaland.
102 Daily News, “Massive vote fraud unearthed”, Harare, 1August 2013. Southern Eye, “Poll results cause
outrage as Tsvangirai rejects outcome”, Harare, 2 August 2013.
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