Elections and Vote Rigging/Electoral Fraud in Zimbabwe: A Critical Analysis of the 2000-2008 Parliamentary and Presidential Elections

Abstract

Elections in Zimbabwe at the inception of the 2000 millennium have received widespread attention and have generated a varied interpretation both from local and international forum. Central has been criticism of the whole electoral system, which has been fine tuned to influence a certain voting pattern that depicts electoral fraud and vote rigging. The situation obtaining and that are under criticism are spread from the organisation of the electoral system prior to elections, the conduct of the elections themselves as well as post election period. It is the purpose of this paper to analyse the irregularities surrounding the electoral system, elections, voting patterns and voting rigging in Zimbabwe within the framework of parliamentary, presidential and senatorial elections that were held from year 2000 to 2008. The paper submits that irregularities in elections and electoral systems are as old as elections themselves as a way of enhancing democracy. However, the paper is not an attempt to justify fraudulent behaviors and systems but to illuminate on problems and challenges bedeviling elections as a system and condition of enhancing democracy and democratic systems.