Former Botswana president Ian Khama has warned the opposition about ZANU PF’s alleged election rigging activities in the southern African region, saying Zimbabwe’s ruling party “had become a regional cancer”.
Botswana, Africa’s longest democracy, is scheduled to hold General Elections on 30 October 2024.
Khama, campaigning for Butale, addressed supporters at a rally, alleging a plot to rig the upcoming elections on October 30, 2024, in favour of President Mokgweetsi Masisi.
According to media reports, Khama claimed that ZANU PF has become a regional threat, undermining democracy by interfering in other countries’ electoral processes.
He accused Zanu PF of sending agents to rig the forthcoming elections in Botswana.
While campaigning for BPF parliamentary candidate Modiri Jojo Lucas in Francistown, Khama alleged that the Botswana ruling party was preparing to rig the general elections by using Zimbabweans to vote for President Masisi. He said:
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The ruling party is preparing to rig the general elections by using Zimbabweans to vote here in Botswana. If Zimbabweans managed to cast their votes in Mozambique’s general elections, they could do that to help the ruling party in Botswana.
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Masisi declared October 30 and 31 as public holidays to encourage citizens to vote.
Masisi is seeking a second term, which would be his final one if he is reelected.
According to <a href="https://masvingomirror.com/undercover-zim-journalists-vote-in-mozambique-elections/">The Mirror</a>, a regional publication in Zimbabwe, some Zimbabweans, including two undercover journalists, voted in Mozambique’s recent general elections.
The journalists, who were investigating potential electoral rigging, were among the hundreds who cast their votes at Nemanwa Growth Point, just outside Masvingo.
Earlier reports from the Mirror indicated that ZANU PF was mobilising its supporters to register for the Mozambique elections, which took place on October 9, 2024.
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Several individuals confirmed their identities as Zimbabweans who had voted in the Mozambican elections.
The two journalists reported that they encountered no issues while voting, having presented both their local national identity cards and Mozambican voters’ cards at the polling stations.
Zimbabwean opposition politician Job Sikhala said that by sending its supporters to vote in Mozambique’s general elections, ZANU PF has become a security threat in the SADC region. 
However, ZANU PF has consistently denied accusations of rigging elections, asserting that it wins fairly because its policies resonate with the electorate.
Similarly, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has dismissed allegations of election rigging in favour of ZANU PF.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>
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Pindula News

Former Botswana president Ian Khama said ZANU PF might cheat in the elections in Botswana. Botswana will have elections on October 30, 2024. Khama thinks ZANU PF is evil and is trying to ruin elections in Botswana. He believes they will try to make people from Zimbabwe vote for President Masisi in Botswana. President Masisi wants to be elected again. Some Zimbabweans already voted in Mozambique's elections. But ZANU PF says they win elections fair and square.

Ian Khama Warns That ZANU PF Could Rig Botswana's Elections

The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) has called for credible electoral processes, including the delimitation of electoral boundaries, to ensure that the 2023 elections are free and fair.
Speaking during an election resource centre-hosted delimitation meeting in Harare on Saturday, CiZC spokesperson Obert Masaure claimed that the upcoming elections have already been rigged in favour of ZANU PF. He said:
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Are we going to sheepishly submit ourselves to an election when we know that these are flawed processes?
People are going to say no let’s rationalise and allow this process to go. Allow an election that has already been rigged?
We all know that everything is pointing toward rigging the elections. We have a State media which remains biased and a military factor as well.
Why are we participating? Are we doing it in the sense that we want development and democracy in Zimbabwe?
If we want democracy we have to say enough is enough and get to a point where citizens say away with this delimitation process.
We will go to an election when the voters roll and the State media is accessible to all players and when the military is no longer part of our politics.
These reforms are serious and must be done. We, therefore, submit that Zimbabwe isn’t ready for elections and we urge those who want to participate in the process to call for credible electoral processes.
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The Zimbabwe Democracy Institute (ZDI) also alleged, in its January 13, 2022 review paper titled: Zec Delimitation Report: Electoral Rigmarole and Elite Discohesion accused the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) of gerrymandering to benefit ZANU PF.
Gerrymandering is the manipulation of the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favour one party. | <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200006219/elections-already-rigged-csos">NewsDay</a>

2023 Elections Already Rigged - CiZC

Opposition Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) Treasurer-General, David Coltart, said the failure of the Registrar-General’s Office to process birth certificates and national identity cards (IDs) for two months is a ZANU PF strategy to prevent young people from voting.
Posting on Twitter, Coltart said it was unbelievable that a whole government fails to issue birth certificates and national identity cards for two months. He said:
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I have no doubt that this is yet another means of preventing some young new voters from being able to register to vote.
For goodness sake how can a whole Government fail to issue IDs for 2 months? The reality is without an ID one can’t register to vote.
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On Monday, Registrar General Henry Machiri said a system fault has halted the issuance of birth and death certificates though the documents are still being produced manually in emergency cases.
He added the issuance of passports and National Identity Documents (IDs) remains unaffected.
Machiri did not reveal when the problem is going to be rectified but said the department will be providing regular updates on the progress being made toward resolving the technical glitch.
However, an unidentified employee at one of the Registrar General’s offices in Harare told <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/zimbabwe-fails-to-process-ids-birth-certificates-for-over-two-months/">NewZimbabwe.com</a> the challenges are being experienced nationwide. The staffer was quoted as saying:
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Since the month of September, we have not processed any documents and we cannot assist you in any way until the system is up.
We have not been told when it will be up, but all I can tell you is that even if I retrieve the application documents you submitted and hand them back.
You will not be able to get any assistance since this is being experienced nationwide.
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