The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) today issued a press briefing in which they said, among other things:

This election has been a huge farce. Its credibility has been marred by administrative and legal violations which affect the legitimacy of its outcome. The election has been heavily manipulated. In our view, the outcome of this election is illegitimate. But more importantly, the shoddy manner in which it has been conducted and the consequent illegitimacy of the result will plunge this country into a serious crisis.

In its preliminary statement on the Harmonised Elections, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) said:

Based on the empirical reports from our observers, regardless of the outcome, the credibility of the 2013 Harmonised Elections is seriously compromised by a systematic effort to disenfranchise an estimated million voters. We reiterate that, it is not sufficient for elections to be peaceful. For elections to be credible they must offer all eligible citizens a reasonable opportunity to register to vote; to inform themselves about the candidates; to vote on election day and for their votes to be properly counted. We are deeply concerned that for urban voters the first three principles have already been violated.

We shared this information with our SMS subscribers. Here are some of their responses in their own words:

• Only that he is not the one speaking, he wants to satisfy his masters not Zims (if he is normal aidyiwa semi kumba kwake, tell the zesn kuti yadyiwa neimwe yacho! Bhora mugedhi Buhera he has two councillors only
• What’s the way forward?
• Help us God. Going back to those days of no water, no food, no electricity again
• Feel very sad today,
• Election was free and fair. Tsvangirai clanged to power yet he was decampaigning himself messing each n every day he should have let someone better lead the party rather than put the party in a plunge. Results are more than fair, the Tsvangirai youth didn’t register neither did they vote so how could they win
• Yes we all know that but what can be done about it MDC is powerless
• What is the way forward
• MDC people were arrogant they did not plan they should have boycotted at the initial stage during registration.
• So what can we do now
• So what is next?
• What is the way forward
• Its important to let people known the truth, and not jus rhetoric and outbursts that lack evidentiary material…whose legitimacy and illegitimacy here?
• We are so desperate we no longer know what to do we a just praying to God to intervene
• It’s ok, lets leave to the God.
• We ready for anything Zimbabwe ngeye ropa not yezvimbwasungata aluta continua
• Sham election. The worst rigging ever.
• Tsvangirai is sometimes a cry baby it is to early to rush into making such statements
• This election was not legitimate in some areas. Some did not vote. I was an agent & @ e polling station were i was 114 people did not vote because there was  less tym 2 register and some because of fear.
• If Zanu wins there is going to be another crisis in Zim with people flocking to SA and other neighbouring countries.
• Why did Tsvangson participate in the fist place? Hatichamuvimbi. (We’ve lost faith in him.)

Political parties in Zimbabwe win elections in two ways: by mobilizing their own supporters and suppressing the opposition vote. With its origins as an armed guerrilla insurgency, Zanu-PF has always used both approaches, combining force and patronage to build a political base of “no-go” zones in the country’s rural northeast where the MDC cannot campaign. Absent deep roots in either the labour movement or business community, Zanu-PF long ago lost the allegiance of most urban voters. For its part, however, the MDC, with its undisciplined performance in the coalition government, failed to consolidate its early support among these same groups. It also neglected the need to rebuild its own organization and consummate a grand coalition with minor opposition parties.

More from Michael Bratton writing for Foreign Affairs here

My excitement of yesterday’s election experience faded fast after I started hearing rumors of early election celebrations in various places, especially where I live in Chitungwiza. The road to this year’s election hasn’t been an easy one, as sometimes tempers have boiled over both at higher levels to as low as an ordinary person walking on the streets. That is the reason we had so many people in the past five years getting charged under the insult law when anger made them show the middle finger to the occupants of high office. I remember when my political science lecturer shared his political views in class, it got so tense that one would think it was a rally only for him to cool it by telling us to take it as academic.

But as the destination to the five-year journey draws closer it is the anxiety that is killing most Zimbabweans and other concerned stakeholders at this moment. Even Zimbabwe’s own whistleblower Baba Jukwa is not dishing out some reliable information on the election results updates. My uncle at home got tired of telling me not to worry myself as no live feed by ZTV from the Command Center has started. Besides press statements from the AU and other electoral bodies, and civic organizations websites, which have become alternative sources of information have maintained a shocking silence on elections results.  I guess as law-abiding citizens they also took heed of the strong jail time warning given to Tsvangirai by the President for releasing results before Zimbabwe Electoral Commission does. Even in public transport, conversations on elections are done in a low tone as people try to avoid drawing unnecessary attention from the person sitting next to them.

Everybody is waiting anxiously.

On a day like today Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation’s television recorded a spike in television viewership ratings as concerned citizens wait to hear results of the nail-biting contest between Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Robert Mugabe.  I hope this time we won’t see interrupted transmission backed by sweating faces on TV for the next two months as the results trickle in.

Photo: Jamie McLaren

I think leadership renewal is now imperative. MDCs have tried & failed. The class of 1999 needs to make way. @BekiMpofu

Photo: Jamie McLaren