Observer mission selection criticised as partisan

A Southern African Development Community (SADC) observer mission comprising about 80 officials from the region was due to arrive in the Zimbabwean capital of Harare on Sunday - 19 days ahead of the March 29 elections.

SADC said it expected to have around 150 observer delegates in place before the combined presidential, parliamentary, senate and local government elections.

South Africa is due to send an observer mission with 54 members drawn from government, parliament, the political opposition and civil society. South Africa has previously observed elections in Zimbabwe independently, but for this crucial election, the group will operate under the auspices of SADC. The controversial 2005 election was endorsed by South Africa, generating widespread criticism.

The South African-based Electoral Institute of Southern Africa has sought permission to send observers, but a spokesman for the group said it awaited a response from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. An application was also under consideration from the Parliamentary Forum of SADC, whose application to send observers to the 2005 general elections was turned down.

The Zimbabwean government announced last Friday that European Union member states, the United States and the Commonwealth had been excluded from the list of observers to be invited. The only European country to be invited is Russia. China, now a major trading partner and provider of surveillance equipment, is also on the list.

The EU and USA both imposed targeted sanctions on President Mugabe and his inner circle after widespread allegations that he had rigged his re-election in 2002.
Expressing grave concern about the biased selection of observer groups, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party led by Morgan Tsvangirai said it showed the government had a lot to hide.

Similar criticism came from the Law Society of Zimbabwe, which said the exclusion of Western monitors highlighted the democratic deficit.

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN), a domestic election-monitoring and observation group, had to submit applications for election observers to the Ministry of Justice. The ZESN said it would face major difficulties if its observer applications were rejected.

Armed forces dogged with controversy

Zimbabwe's army commander, General Constantine Chiwenga, has pledged the army's continued loyalty to President Robert Mugabe, even if he loses the presidential election.

His comments come on the back of indications that hundreds of soldiers have been deployed into the rural areas, where Zanu PF has a maintained stranglehold using well-honed strategies of intimidation and vote buying. Soldiers have been told to return to their rural homes to help with the Zanu PF election campaign.

Chiwenga's statements echo those of the Zimbabwe Prisons Service (ZPS) head, Paradzai Zimondi, who has instructed the police force to vote for Mugabe. However, in surprising show of defiance, junior ZPF members are reported to have lambasted their commissioner, branding the order as "insane".

Both factions of the MDC and independent candidate Simba Makoni, who is a former Zanu PF finance minister, have criticised the police for continued harassment.

A spokesperson for the Mutambara faction, Abednico Bhebhe, said his group had lodged a complaint with the electoral authorities, protesting intimidation of supporters. He said conditions were not conducive for a free and fair election.

"Boys on Leave"

On March 7, the Zimbabwe Independent published information on a "hidden strategy" to destabilise Mugabe. The article was written by leading Zimbabwean journalist Dumisani Muleya.

According to informed sources, Simba Makoni's election strategy includes roping in state security agents, especially army officers who are currently deployed by Zanu PF in districts, constituencies and wards around the country to mobilise support for Mugabe.

Known as "Boys on Leave", the army personnel are usually deployed six months before elections. Accused of vote rigging, the "Boys on Leave" were key in Mugabe's controversial 2002 victory, which was essentially run by the military.

If true, this strategy, which may have been inadvertently revealed, is further proof that the government's practice of election rigging is initiated months before elections and well before any election observers arrive in the country.

Through ZEW we have consistently stressed that elections are not an event but a process.

The data collated in our project reflects the rigging reality on the ground - with concrete examples. Sokwanele therefore urges the observer teams to take into consideration the full scale of rigging throughout the build up to the elections and not to judge them from their arrival in the country just a couple of weeks before the poll.

Loosening the purse strings

An increasingly edgy Mugabe has awarded huge pay rises to the army (reported in last week's issue of ZEW - issue 18) and is now providing them with decent and adequate food.

Traditional chiefs, who have publicly backed Mugabe's candidacy, have also seen their financial allowances raised.

In a bid to appease rural voters, the government is once gain parcelling out farm machinery, described as "tractors for votes" by veteran commentator John Makumbe, a political science lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe.

Raising concerns

Political analyst Brian Raftopoulos, who has observed all of Zimbabwe's elections since the arrival of the opposition MDC in late 1999, says a climate for free and fair elections does not currently exist.

His views are endorsed by the South African Communist Party, which says there is no way the elections will be free and fair if the period leading up to the polls is not peaceful.

The South African Congress of Trade Unions (COSATU) says that each SADC country is supposed to follow the SADC guidelines, but the government of Zimbabwe blatantly deviates from the norms and the regional body never does a thing to condemn such actions.

The European Union is also reported to be very concerned about the humanitarian, political and economic situation and conditions on the ground.

Voting issues

The issue of postal voting for voters inside the country has once again been raised, this time in the Zimbabwe Standard. Although postal voting is enshrined in Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is not included in the Zimbabwean constitution.

However, the Electoral Act stipulates that "Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely-chosen representatives" and that "the will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures."

Contrary to the requirements of the Electoral Act, ongoing arrests of opposition party members, the banning of voter meetings and door-to-door campaigns, as well as the disruption of rallies persists.

Media watchdogs report that the state media continues to provide preferential and blatantly biased reporting in favour of the Mugabe government.

At the recent launch of Zanu PF's manifesto, in which Mugabe offered no solutions to resolve the escalating crisis, national chairman John Nkomo reiterated that losing elections was not an option.

Western monitors barred from Zim poll
Source Date: 07-03-2008

European Union member states and the United States have been excluded from a list of observers who will be invited to monitor the March 29 general elections in Zimbabwe….

Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi said a number of regional bodies, such as the African Union, would be asked to oversee the joint presidential and parliamentary elections on March 29.

So, too, would representatives from allies of President Robert Mugabe's regime such as China, Iran and Venezuela….

The main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) deplored what it said was a biased selection of observer groups for the latest election….

"If everything was being done in a fair and transparent manner, there would be no need to exclude other countries…." (said the MDC secretary for legal affairs Innocent Gonese).

Similar criticism came from the Law Society of Zimbabwe, which said the exclusion of Western monitors highlighted the democratic deficit…

Among African countries on the invitation list are Kenya and Nigeria, both of whom have staged elections in the last year which were criticised as flawed.

Regional bodies invited to send observer missions include the Southern African Development Community, the Economic Community of West African States and the Pan African Parliament….

Source: Mail and Guardian Online, The (RSA)

SADC standards breached

• 2.1.3: Political tolerance;
• 2.1.7: Independence of the Judiciary and impartiality of the electoral institutions …
• 4.1.2: Conducive environment for free, fair and peaceful elections
• 7.3: [The member state holding elections shall] Establish impartial, all-inclusive, competent and accountable national electoral bodies staffed by qualified personnel …
• 7.4: [The member state holding elections shall] Safeguard the human and civil liberties of all citizens …
• 7.8: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure the transparency and integrity of the entire electoral process …

Zimbabwe Justice Ministry vetting applications by election observers
Source Date: 03-03-2008

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network said Monday that it is submitting applications for election observers to the Ministry of Justice, which has taken the responsibility for clearing applications by domestic observers before they can be processed by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, nominally the authority in this domain….

The election support network said it will draw observers from its membership, which includes a number of civil society organizations.

The South African-based Electoral Institution of Southern Africa has sought permission to send observers, but a spokesman for the group said it awaits a response from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

That ministry is also considering an application from the Parliamentary Forum of the Southern African Development Community, whose application to send observers to the 2005 general elections was turned down….

Note: For Zimbabwe’s March 2002 Presidential elections (9-11 March), the SADC Parliamentary Forum observer mission received its invitation in the form of a letter from the government of Zimbabwe dated February 4, 2002.

The observer mission constituted a delegation of 70 members who were deployed to all 10 provinces.

In a press release dated 13 March 2002, the observer mission said: “… Not only did the Forum witness some of the (incidences of violence), its mission members were themselves targets of an orchestrated attack 10 km out of Chinhoyi on 24 February….

“… Evidence indicated that the majority of those affected were supporters of the MDC or those perceived to be opponents of the ruling party and government. Violence was manifest in the number of hospitalised victims, numerous cases of alleged torture, arson, assault and incidences of false imprisonment….

“With respect to the voters’ roll, the observer mission said: “In this election, concerns have been raised regarding the timeous release of the voters’ roll which was only made available three days before the polls….

“(In conclusion), the climate of insecurity in Zimbabwe since the 2000 parliamentary elections was such that the electoral process could not be said to adequately comply with the Norms and Standards for Elections in the SADC region.”

For more information on the report:

http://www.africaaction.org/docs02/zim0203.htm

Source: VOANews (USA)

SADC standards breached

• 2.1.1: Full participation of the citizens in the political process;
• 2.1.2: Freedom of association;
• 2.1.3: Political tolerance;
• 2.1.8: Voter education.
• 4.1.1: Constitutional and legal guarantees of freedom and rights of citizens
• 4.1.2: Conducive environment for free, fair and peaceful elections
• 7.3: [The member state holding elections shall] Establish impartial, all-inclusive, competent and accountable national electoral bodies staffed by qualified personnel …
• 7.4: [The member state holding elections shall] Safeguard the human and civil liberties of all citizens …
• 7.6: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure the availability of adequate logistics and resources for carrying out democratic elections;
• 7.8: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure the transparency and integrity of the entire electoral process …

Citizen snag could bar 'alien' voters

Source Date: 09-03-2008

Thousands of Zimbabweans with non-indigenous origins could be barred from voting on 29 March, even if they have known only Zimbabwe as their home and their names appear on the voters’ roll….

This could affect thousands of farm workers and urban voters.

The likelihood of disenfranchisement emerged in a letter to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) … who wrote that some "aliens" whose names appear on the voters’ roll had already been told they would not be allowed to vote.

According to the letter, MacDonald Lewanika, a Zimbabwean with Zambian ancestry, was barred from inspecting the voters’ roll on 14 February because he was considered an alien…

Lewanika, a civic activist, took up the issue with ZLHR, who in turn called Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) for clarification. They insisted that Lewanika be allowed to inspect the voters’ roll as he had the right to do so under Section 21 of the Electoral Act….

"Despite his being registered as a voter under Mufakose Constituency and in fact having voted in all elections since 2000 Parliamentary elections, Mr MacDonald (Lewanika) was told that he would not be allowed to vote . . . because he was an alien, and despite the fact that he was registered to vote," ZLHR’s Nyamurundira wrote to ZEC.

With three weeks to go before the elections, ZLHR and other civic organisations fear more people could find themselves in Lewanika’s predicament — registered to vote but unable to vote.

Source: Zimbabwe Standard, The (ZW)

SADC standards breached

• 2.1.1: Full participation of the citizens in the political process;
• 2.1.3: Political tolerance;
• 2.1.6: Equal opportunity to exercise the right to vote and be voted for
• 4.1.1: Constitutional and legal guarantees of freedom and rights of citizens
• 4.1.3: Non-discrimination in the voters’ registration;
• 4.1.4: Existence of updated and accessible voters roll;
• 7.3: [The member state holding elections shall] Establish impartial, all-inclusive, competent and accountable national electoral bodies staffed by qualified personnel …
• 7.4: [The member state holding elections shall] Safeguard the human and civil liberties of all citizens …
• 7.5: [The member state holding elections shall] Take all necessary measures and precautions to prevent the perpetration of fraud, rigging…
• 7.8: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure the transparency and integrity of the entire electoral process …

Dire economic straits and election politics at Hopley Farm
Source Date: 04-03-2008

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) expresses its deep concern and anger at the continuing miserable state of affairs at Hopley Farm just outside Harare. The continued desperation of people residing there has become all the more acute in light of the upcoming elections.

Hopley Farm is an area to which destitute and generally deprived people were taken in the wake of *Operation Murambatsvina which caused alarming levels of economic, social and now political dislocation. …

The residents of Hopley Farm have experienced serious problems in being able to register to vote. Some were advised that they are aliens and therefore are barred from registering in continuing misinterpretation of Zimbabwe’s citizenship laws.

Others were told they needed as proof of residence a letter confirming their residency at Hopley Farm from the local authority on the ground. This local authority is the District Chairman of the local Zanu PF Committee…

It was only after affected residents registered complaints with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) that some were able to register.

Food and other aid is allegedly being grabbed for political purposes with confirmation of political allegiance allegedly required if one is to benefit from this aid. Distribution of any aid that does come has been taken over by the ruling party cadres.

ZLHR notes the failure of Hopley Farm residents to register. This is sad vindication of our warnings during the forced evictions that such disenfranchisement would occur due to the Operation.

It begs the simple question – are the homeless disentitled from voting … in which case creating homelessness as happened with Operation Murambatsvina amounts to deliberate disenfranchisement by the party in power….

*For more information on Operation Murambatsvina, visit the Sokwanele website

Source: Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)

SADC standards breached

• 2.1.6: Equal opportunity to exercise the right to vote and be voted for
• 2.1.7: Independence of the Judiciary and impartiality of the electoral institutions …
• 4.1.1: Constitutional and legal guarantees of freedom and rights of citizens
• 4.1.2: Conducive environment for free, fair and peaceful elections
• 4.1.3: Non-discrimination in the voters’ registration;
• 7.4: [The member state holding elections shall] Safeguard the human and civil liberties of all citizens …
• 7.5: [The member state holding elections shall] Take all necessary measures and precautions to prevent the perpetration of fraud, rigging…
• 7.8: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure the transparency and integrity of the entire electoral process …

Zimbabwe may take week to announce poll results
Source Date: 04-03-2008

Zimbabwe authorities on Monday refused to say when they would announce election results, as non-governmental organisations said the state’s electoral commission lacked capacity and could take up to a week to name poll winners….

But the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) said the commission did not have the logistical capacity to run the multiple elections, the first ever in which Zimbabweans will choose a new president, senators, House of Assembly representatives and local councillors….

Opposition parties and election observers have in the past argued that delays in announcing poll winners allow time to tamper with results…. analysts say an unfair playing field guarantees Mugabe victory….

Source: Zim Online (ZW)

SADC standards breached

• 4.1.2: Conducive environment for free, fair and peaceful elections
• 7.4: [The member state holding elections shall] Safeguard the human and civil liberties of all citizens …
• 7.6: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure the availability of adequate logistics and resources for carrying out democratic elections;
• 7.8: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure the transparency and integrity of the entire electoral process …

Postal voting and the need for transparency
Source Date: 10-03-2008

… The opposition has repeatedly pointed out the need for the electorate in the Diaspora to participate in elections since most of them are outside the country not by choice, but as a result of socio, economic and political reasons beyond their control.

… The need for postal voting facilities, however, does not start and end with citizens in the Diaspora, but includes citizens in the country … (who) might not be in their voting areas on Election Day…

The Electoral Act borrows from Article 21(1) (of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights) which stipulates that, "Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely-chosen representatives" and that "(3) the will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures."…

The postal voting system is currently available to government officials (and members of the uniformed forces) who … will be outside their voting areas on official government business but not necessarily outside the country.

The police and armed forces have currently been using this facility and concerns have been raised as to the credibility and transparency of the voting process where this facility has been used by the said government departments….

Source: Zimbabwe Standard, The (ZW)

SADC standards breached

• 2.1.1: Full participation of the citizens in the political process;
• 2.1.3: Political tolerance;
• 2.1.6: Equal opportunity to exercise the right to vote and be voted for
• 4.1.1: Constitutional and legal guarantees of freedom and rights of citizens
• 4.1.2: Conducive environment for free, fair and peaceful elections
• 7.4: [The member state holding elections shall] Safeguard the human and civil liberties of all citizens …
• 7.5: [The member state holding elections shall] Take all necessary measures and precautions to prevent the perpetration of fraud, rigging…
• 7.6: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure the availability of adequate logistics and resources for carrying out democratic elections;
• 7.8: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure the transparency and integrity of the entire electoral process …

Free speech and media violations in the ongoing electoral period
Source Date: 04-03-2008

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) (has expressed concern regarding) the recent conduct of the public media …(print and electronic) (which) has over the last few weeks shown a dissatisfactory and unlawful bias in favour of the candidates and activities of the ruling party Zanu PF.

It is disturbing to note incidents in which the national broadcaster … has essentially been flighting free advertisements for the ruling party….

The public media has given up to 10 times more airtime to the ruling party than to all other opposition candidates combined….

In many a case the little coverage being given to other parties by the public media is opinionated and negative, and is meant to present them as disjointed…

Also worrisome is the piecemeal coverage currently being given to administrative electoral matters and the absence of any effort to report cases of politically motivated violence and electoral malpractice, especially those involving ruling party members or supporters as the alleged perpetrators.

The bias of the ZBC in its news bulletins and the state-controlled print media is in clear contravention of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Act …

ZLHR further deplores the punitive registration fees prescribed by government on journalists wishing to cover the elections as well as the banning last week of senior journalist, Brian Hungwe, by the Media and Information Commission, which no longer has a mandate since it was rendered obsolete under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Amendment Act. …

Source: Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)

SADC standards breached

• 2.1.1: Full participation of the citizens in the political process;
• 2.1.3: Political tolerance;
• 2.1.5: Equal access to state media for all political parties
• 4.1.1: Constitutional and legal guarantees of freedom and rights of citizens
• 4.1.2: Conducive environment for free, fair and peaceful elections
• 7.4: [The member state holding elections shall] Safeguard the human and civil liberties of all citizens …
• 7.5: [The member state holding elections shall] Take all necessary measures and precautions to prevent the perpetration of fraud, rigging…
• 7.6: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure the availability of adequate logistics and resources for carrying out democratic elections;
• 7.7: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure that adequate security is provided to all parties participating in elections;

Makoni fumes as police disrupt rally
Source Date: 03-03-2008

Zimbabwean police abruptly called time on a campaign rally for independent presidential candidate Simba Makoni on Sunday, and turned away buses ferrying supporters to the Zimbabwe Grounds in Highfield, a working class suburb of Harare…

Despite the heavy police presence and intimidation, some 7 000 cheering supporters turned up -- many on foot -- to hear the former finance minister speak…

Note: Dr Makoni was forced to abort a crucial meeting with his top officials after both the fire and explosives alarms were triggered in the building. Dr Makoni believes this was part of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO)’s dirty campaign to frustrate his presidential bid.

Also during the week, two of Dr Makoni’s officials were attacked at a service station in Harare.

Source: NewZimbabwe.com (ZW)

SADC standards breached

• 2.1.1: Full participation of the citizens in the political process;
• 2.1.2: Freedom of association;
• 2.1.3: Political tolerance;
• 2.1.6: Equal opportunity to exercise the right to vote and be voted for
• 4.1.2: Conducive environment for free, fair and peaceful elections
• 7.4: [The member state holding elections shall] Safeguard the human and civil liberties of all citizens …
• 7.8: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure the transparency and integrity of the entire electoral process …

Opposition complains of pre-election intimidation
Source Date: 06-03-2008

Both groups of the split main Zimbabwean opposition party have lodged complaints with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) that their candidates are being harassed by the police ahead of the general elections on 29 March…

(Each has claimed) that their members have either been arrested, abducted or beaten up by the police, and have also alleged acts of violence against their supporters by the ruling Zanu PF party.

"The police are acting in a partisan manner, banning our candidates and their supporters from conducting door-to-door campaigns, especially in the city," said Nelson Chamisa, spokesman for the MDC faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai.

On 29 February, police arrested Marvelous Khumalo, an MDC parliamentary candidate, and 11 other party supporters during a campaign in Chitungwiza, a high-density satellite township 25km south of the capital, Harare. Kumalo is still in custody….

Abednico Bhebhe, a spokesman for the rival MDC faction, led by academic Arthur Mutambara, said his group had lodged a complaint with the electoral authorities, protesting intimidation of supporters. "Intimidation is rampant and the conditions are not conducive for a free and fair election," he claimed….

Civic organisations pointed out that the SADC should have deployed observers to assess pre-election conditions, including the registration of voters and public inspection of the voters' roll, as well as the general environment, more than a month ago. They argued that prevailing conditions did not favour a free and fair election….

Source: IRIN (UN)

SADC standards breached

• 2.1.1: Full participation of the citizens in the political process;
• 2.1.2: Freedom of association;
• 2.1.3: Political tolerance;
• 2.1.5: Equal access to state media for all political parties
• 2.1.6: Equal opportunity to exercise the right to vote and be voted for
• 4.1.1: Constitutional and legal guarantees of freedom and rights of citizens
• 4.1.2: Conducive environment for free, fair and peaceful elections
• 7.3: [The member state holding elections shall] Establish impartial, all-inclusive, competent and accountable national electoral bodies staffed by qualified personnel …
• 7.4: [The member state holding elections shall] Safeguard the human and civil liberties of all citizens …
• 7.5: [The member state holding elections shall] Take all necessary measures and precautions to prevent the perpetration of fraud, rigging…
• 7.8: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure the transparency and integrity of the entire electoral process …

MDC candidate missing since February
Source Date: 08-03-2008

Edson Muwengwa, an MDC council candidate in Rushinga, has been missing since 15 February in what the MDC and the Muwengwa family fear is an abduction following several deaths threats and an attempt on his life by Zanu PF supporters….

Information gathered by the MDC … reveals that several Zanu PF members led by Shingi Runhare went to Muwengwa’s house on 12 February, three days before the nomination court, and threatened Muwengwa’s young brother …

During the same night some yet to be identified people came and destroyed Muwengwa’s house and looted his property….

The next day Runhare ordered every person in Ward 20 to attend a Zanu PF rally, where he told the gathering Zanu PF was going to “fix” Muwengwa….

Note: In another incident, two little girls whose brother is an MDC activist were confronted by a gang of men armed with axes and clubs outside their school. The men told them they would be killed, and their bodies burnt to ashes. Their mother subsequently received similar threats.

Source: Zimbabwean, The (ZW)

SADC standards breached

• 2.1.3: Political tolerance;
• 2.1.6: Equal opportunity to exercise the right to vote and be voted for
• 4.1.1: Constitutional and legal guarantees of freedom and rights of citizens
• 4.1.2: Conducive environment for free, fair and peaceful elections
• 7.4: [The member state holding elections shall] Safeguard the human and civil liberties of all citizens …
• 7.5: [The member state holding elections shall] Take all necessary measures and precautions to prevent the perpetration of fraud, rigging…
• 7.7: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure that adequate security is provided to all parties participating in elections;
• 7.8: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure the transparency and integrity of the entire electoral process …