Kerry: Elections in Zimbabwe the result of a ‘deeply flawed process’

Secretary of State John Kerry on Saturday said that evidence shows national elections in Zimbabwe in which longtime strongman Robert Mugabe was reelected were the result of a “deeply flawed process.” 

{mosads}U.S. officials were restricted from monitoring the elections, the first time Zimbabweans went to the polls in a national election since violence marred a disputed 2008 vote.

Mugabe was declared the winner on Saturday, according to Reuters. But his rival, Morgan Tsvangirai, said he would challenge a result he called a fraud.

“There were irregularities in the provision and composition of the voters roll. The parties had unequal access to state media,” Kerry said in a statement.

“The security sector did not safeguard the electoral process on an even-handed basis. And the government failed to implement the political reforms mandated by Zimbabwe’s new constitution, the Global Political Agreement, and the region.”

“[M]ake no mistake: in light of substantial electoral irregularities reported by domestic and regional observers, the United States does not believe that the results announced today represent a credible expression of the will of the Zimbabwean people,” Kerry added.

Kerry commended the south African pariah nation’s people for rejecting violence and showing their commitment to the democratic process, saying that the elections provided a foundation for “growth and prosperity.”

He called on the Southern African Development Community and the African Union to address concerns with the electoral process and issues raised by domestic monitoring groups.

“The Government of Zimbabwe needs to chart a way forward that will give the people of Zimbabwe the opportunity to express their most fundamental democratic right in a free and fair environment,” Kerry said.

Congress and the White House put Zimbabwe on notice last month that better relations with the United States won’t materialize if the country can’t deliver fair elections.