Fiji Elections: Why the Opposition Bloggers say the Results are a Fraud

pn178

Three main concerns have been expressed on the social media about the credibility of the election results. The question is, are they fraudulent? Have they been rigged?

The concerns, which could lend support to a probable Opposition parties' appeal against the results, are:

1. The results have been tampered with. For example,  there were more voters than registered voters in the Eastern division.  
Comment: This was not the case as I explain at some length in  posting pn 177. They confused two sets of figures.

2a) The NADRA computing system could have been tampered with. 
2b) All votes should have been voted manually. 

Comment: Yes, NADRA could have been, but all votes were counted manually and the Elections Office had announced as far back as June that "NADRA Technologies does not have any role to play in the 20218 General Election:

Despite this, one sceptic claimed, 

"The NADRA software and hardware are a critical link in the rigging of votes amongst other irregularities ..."   

Further comment: NADRA is an electoral management system that was not used for counting or tabulation in this year's general election.

This from the Elections Office:
"NADRA Technologies Limited, an overseas company which provides Electoral Management System software is not used for counting and tabulation of results in this year’s general elections.

Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem had to clarify NADRA’s role yet again after numerous speculations were posted on social media, alleging NADRA’s involvement.

He said NADRA was used internally in the office to know how many ballot boxes, ballot papers were needed to be produced. This was completed in 2017.

“The Result Management Information System is developed locally by DATEC, that is the system we use.”

Mr Saneem said people were just throwing up things to try and derail what they were doing

“This is because people actually find confidence in the system,” he said.

In June last year, Mr Saneem had pointed out that NADRA Technologies does not have any role to play in the 2018 General Election."

3. Confusion over the 5% rule and the votes needed to be elected. 

For example:  

"Fiji's electoral system gives democracy a bad name. The 5% rule means as an example, someone who gets 5000 votes but does not meet the threshold loses, and someone with 800 votes in a party that does, gets into Parliament - and might even become a Minister....You will never convince me this is fair or democratic. Change the Constitution."

Comment: The 5% rule applies to parties and has nothing to do with the election of candidates.  

As I explained in posting pn173 
"It is the total party vote that determines the number of party seats.  A candidate's vote only determines where he or she stands in the party pecking order."

"For example, over one-third of FijiFirst voters voted for Voqere Bainimarama.  He had 167,732 (36.92%) of the FijiFirst votes. This left the other 50 FijiFirst candidates with a smaller number to divide between  them.  Their 27th successful candidate Rosy Akbar won only 705 votes. 

"In comparison, SODELPA's votes were more evenly distributed among its candidates.  Only 77,040 (16.96%) voted for Sitiveni Rabuka, which left more of their remaining votes to be distributed among  their other candidates. Hence their higher numbers."
  
"Doubters do not understand the Open List Preferential voting system, and many probably want to return to the old system of communal (i.e., ethnic) voting and geographic electorates which, of course, would allow a SODELPA victory. 

"For example, over one-third of FijiFirst voters voted for Voqere Bainimarama.  He had 167,732 (36.92%) of the FijiFirst votes. This left the other 50 FijiFirst candidates with a smaller number to divide between  them.  Their 27th successful candidate Rosy Akbar won only 705 votes. 

"In comparison, SODELPA's votes were more evenly distributed among its candidates.  Only 77,040 (16.96%) voted for Sitiveni Rabuka, which left more of their remaining votes to be distributed among  their other candidates. Hence their higher numbers."

Final comment: I urge readers to look at Joe Gonewai, Koroi Tuiloma and other linked Facebook pages to challenge these and other misunderstandings.  

There is a difference between genuine misunderstandings  and ongoing, deliberate inaccuracies which are intended  to destablise and divide Fiji long after they have been explained and corrected. 

The cartoon shows what they are getting away with.   If you disagree with these errors and  are repulsed by the prejudices shown in this cartoon, go to Facebook, set up your own group and comment on the groups to which Jone Gonewai and others subscribe. The social media plays a major role in the way people think, and could be a decisive factor in future elections.

--ACW