Were Zimbabwe’s 2013 elections stolen or not?

The main opposition Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai, which lost the elections dismally, says they were.

The ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front which won almost three quarters of the seats in the lower House argues it won fair and square.

More than half the Zimbabweans say the elections were free and fair.

According to the latest survey from Afrobarometer which covered electoral processes in 36 countries, 56 percent of the Zimbabweans said the 2013 elections were “free and fair, with minor problems” or “completely free and fair”.

The only Southern African country which had a lower ranking was Mozambique with 52 percent.

Mauritius topped the list with 91 percent trusting their elections followed by Senegal with 87 percent and Madagascar with 84 percent.

For Zimbabwe, however, this was a drastic improvement from the 2005 elections where only 36 percent said they were free and fair.

Less than half (46 percent) trusted the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission which the MDC-T has accused of being biased.

In 2005 only 29 percent trusted the Electoral Commission.

What is disturbing, however, is that some 68 percent of the voters said they are “sometimes”, “often”, or “always” threatened with violence at the polls.

Regional and international think-tanks as well as observers have tended to side with the MDC-T that Zimbabwe’s 2013 elections were stolen.

What is your take?

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