It is disappointing to the people of the SADC region in particular and us South African people that the elections in Zimbabwe were so "manipulated", and leaves us almost helpless. The main concern is the picture this gives the world at large. Independent analysis of the elections clearly suggests that the elections were not free and fair, though it appeared as if they were due to the sophisticated nature of the system used.

The SADC Guidelines were flouted in a diplomatic manner this time around, making it look genuine! And this makes it difficult to boldly say that the elections were not "free and fair", as MDC now carries the label of "bad losers" because they willingly participated in a somewhat "peaceful" and less eventful voting day, and they were leading in the vote count of seats at the beginning (mainly the the cities, Harare, Bulawayo and Masvingo etc). They never complained as they were ahead with 31 seats against Zanu-PF's 8 initially - but when the final count produced a 2/3 majority for their opponents they cry foul with allegations of "vote-rigging on a massive scale". This is the risk everyone who now condemns the Zimbabwe elections takes!

Now the words used are that they were "skewed" and "tilted" away from MDC towards ZANU-PF. MDC must have known or suspected this was going to happen, yet chose to participate in the elections, the decision which was confirmed late! This proved to be a critical turning point! With hind-sight MDC now must be regretting ever allowing itself to participate in the elections.

The other flaw related to this late decision to participate is the fact that they could not have enough time to campaign, especially amongst the rural voters! Suddenly, two weeks or so prior to election day, there were no longer "no-go areas" or intimidation of the opposition, but open and free campaigning everywhere, no violence! But complaints of using food to buy votes in the rural areas by the ruling party persisted, as did complaints of lack of access to the voters' roll by the opposition, and a lack of media coverage with freedom of the press and association remaining severely restricted.

The position taken by the SA President and Observer missions are worrying factors - Mbeki's quiet diplomacy is well recorded, some observer mission leaders like Labour Minister Mdladlana proclaimed prematurely that there was "no reason for elections not to be free & fair!". Mbulelo Goniwe and Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka denied any negative allegations about conditions, they are on record as having endorsed elections as "free and fair" from their observations! Predictable the DA has distanced itself from the proclamations" by the observer mission to Zimbabwe elections! As civil society how do we begin to help change the slide that Zimbabwe is taking?