Published on Sokwanele (http://www.sokwanele.com)

Home > Zimbabwe Election Watch : Issue 18

Zimbabwe Election Watch : Issue 18

By Sokwanele
Created 05.03.2008 - 23:05

Map of Issue 18 breaches [1]March 2008 Elections - A climate of confusion and fear

News24 (SA) sums up Zimbabwe's electoral landscape with the following comments: "Voters in Zimbabwe's (forthcoming) elections ...will have to puzzle through a blur of alliances, divisions and sub-divisions among the political parties...

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), the official election administrator, has now published a list of 779 candidates for the 210 seats in the lower house of assembly, and 197 aspirants for the 60 elected seats in the upper house, the senate, from 12 political parties and 116 independents...

The muddle of candidates adds to the widespread concern about the elections when, for the first time, the electorate of 5.5 million people will have to mark their Xs on four different ballot papers for presidential, house of assembly, senate and local government wards.

Church and civic groups point out that the head of ZEC, Judge George Chiweshe, has been illegally appointed by Mugabe; that he ignored legal procedures for the setting of the election date; that the boundaries of the constituencies in the elections were illegally promulgated; and that there is evidence of comprehensive manipulation of the voters' roll.

They say ZEC has carried out almost no voter education on the complicated system, the campaign period is far too short and there is scant hope of all would-be voters being able to cast their vote in a single day..."
IRIN (UN) reports there is little evidence on the ground that the country is about to hold one of its most crucial elections; many rural people and others have not received any voter education.

Dr Simba Makoni, who was ejected from the ruling Zanu PF earlier this month for announcing he would stand against Mugabe, told the BBC Zimbabwe was 'a country of fearful people.' Police have turned down his application for protection for himself, his family and key associates during the elections.

The Mail & Guardian notes that, "as the chaos spreads, there are still no accredited observers on the ground to blow the whistle." The newspaper quoted a senior foreign affairs official as saying the government was 'still finalising' a list of foreign observers... Countries and organisations which had criticized past elections would be excluded.

Use of violence and torture widespread

Churches and human rights groups say a relentless wave of political violence over the past 12 months, in which police and other state security forces have played a major role, has rendered a free and fair contest impossible.

The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Professor Manfred Nowak, says "the high number of indictments for torture filed by the Attorney General's Office show it is widespread."

The opposition for Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says that incidents of violence and arrests of their candidates, polling agents and supporters have intensified. During the past month, more than 35 MDC candidates from Morgan Tsvangirai's faction have been abducted or arrested on spurious charges.
Members of the Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe were abducted and beaten with iron bars, logs, booted feet and bottles.

Preparations for poll chaotic

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has expressed concern at the continued harassment of voters and aspiring candidates by election officials presiding over some voter inspection centres. ZHLR also notes that several candidates wishing to check the voters' roll in preparation for their nomination have been denied their right to do so.

The MDC (MT) House of Assembly candidate for Harare North, Theresa Makone, says there are many ghost voters registered in the constituency and it was done systematically with what appears to be the collaboration of election authorities. In addition, many names of dead people still appear on the roll.

Mugabe's spokesperson George Charamba has ordered the state broadcaster ZBC to pull off air voter education advertisements placed by the Zimbabwe Election Support Network. This is in blatant contravention of the SADC principles governing the conduct of elections in member countries. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has admitted it is ill equipped and under funded to carry out any exercise on its own.

The state-run Chronicle newspaper has rejected advertisements from presidential challenger Simba Makoni to advertise an election campaign rally, and media coverage is still heavily skewed in favour of the ruling party.

Vote buying is widespread and Zimbabwe's central bank has "donated" a fleet of brand new vehicles to state media houses "for immediate use".
Reporters Sans Frontieres says the daily lot of Zimbabwean journalists has consisted of permanent surveillance, police brutality and injustice. New electoral laws negotiated under South African mediation have made no difference to biased public media and the skewed electoral climate in Zimbabwe.

Ordered to vote for Mugabe

Retired Major-General Paradzayi Zimondi, the commissioner of prisons, told his staff: "I am giving you an order to vote for the President (Cde Mugabe)..."

The same week, Mugabe awarded salary increments to the military, just one month away from the elections. The armed forces are crucial in his bid to retain power.

MDC houses burned and officials arrested in Muzarabani
Source Date: 25-02-2008

The MDC has reported that incidents of violence and arrests of their candidates, polling agents and supporters have intensified around the country as we get closer to the harmonised elections on March 29th.

The latest reports were received from Muzarabani, where on Monday the houses of several MDC activists were burnt down….

On Sunday, also in Muzarabani, ward election agent Muchemwa Chihota and MDC activist Munyaradzi Nyama were arrested… it is believed they held a meeting to discuss election strategies.

Dozens of MDC officials have been arrested around the country for engaging in activities related to the March elections.

This includes activities such as conducting private meetings, putting up posters, trying to obtain voter registration details and singing on a MDC campaign music album, all of which are all legal activities….

Identified victims: Muchemwa Chihota, Munyaradzi Nyama

Source: SW Radio Africa (ZW) [2]

SADC standards breached

Pishai Muchauraya attacked by Zanu PF mob at Old Mutare
Source Date: 27-02-2008

The bitter election battle in Manicaland has once again spilled over into violence after the MDC spokesman in the province, Pishai Muchauraya, was attacked by a mob on Wednesday.

Muchauraya, the MDC parliamentary candidate for Makoni South in next month's elections, was travelling to the constituency with his driver and an aide …. (when) a mob … of over 45 youths set upon the trio and ripped off their MDC T-shirts ….

The mob (then) ransacked the truck and took away a mobile phone, over 1000 party cards, Z$1,4 billion in cash, party regalia including T-shirts and Muchauraya's information pack, which contained the manifesto that was launched on Saturday.

The Manicaland spokesman said the mob came from a nearby farm owned by a Zanu-PF senator….

'The police officers were getting instructions from the senator and the two war veterans on the scene….,' said Muchauraya….

Identified perpetrators: Misheck Masukume and Peter Ngwarapi of Plot 20, Old Mutare
Identified victims: Pishayi Muchauraya, MDC parliamentary candidate for Makoni South, driver Michael Murapa and security aide, Tendayi Kononda

Source: SW Radio Africa (ZW) [3]

SADC standards breached

Police refuse to give Makoni protection
Source Date: 29-02-2008

Police have turned down an application for protection from independent presidential candidate Simba Makoni and his associates amid reports that they are being trailed by the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO).

Sources said Makoni wrote to the police last week requesting protection for himself, his family, and his allies, among them Ibbo Mandaza and Kudzai Mbudzi, but the application was turned down by Deputy Commissioner-General in charge of operations, Innocent Matibiri.

Matibiri, President Robert Mugabe's nephew, is in charge of the VIP protection unit….

Matibiri in response to Makoni's application on February 19 said police protection would only be "awarded to individuals with VIP status. Regrettably you do not hold such status."…

Source: Zimbabwe Independent, The (ZW) [4]

SADC standards breached

Teachers’ union says women activists were sexually assaulted
Source Date: 22-02-2008

… The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary general Raymond Majongwe, who was among a group of nine union activists kidnapped and tortured by the ruling party supporters earlier this week, said the Zanu PF militants beat and kicked the women in their private parts with booted feet.

(They also) stole cash and cell phones … as punishment for not supporting President Robert Mugabe.

“We were indiscriminately beaten by seven groups of about 15 people from 10h50 to 12h30 using iron bars, logs, booted feet, bottles and anything that they could lay their hands on,” Majongwe said at a press briefing in Harare….

The Zanu PF activists abducted Majongwe and his colleagues as they distributed flyers on the streets of Harare denouncing the collapsed state of education….

Majongwe said their assailants accused them of supporting main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party leader Morgan Tsvangirai…

Identified victims: Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary general Raymond Majongwe

Source: Zim Online (ZW) [5]

SADC standards breached

Police impose unofficial curfew in parts of Zimbabwe
Source Date: 25-02-2008

Police have imposed an unofficial curfew in some parts of the country, illegally restricting movement of people in the evenings, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) said at the weekend.

ZimRights said the police forced people to stay indoors after dusk reportedly in order to stop them from *using the night to campaign for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party as next months' key elections loom closer….

Under the government's Public Order and Security Act, Zimbabweans are required to first seek permission from the police before gathering in public in groups of more than three to discuss politics.

The Act was however recently relaxed under a raft of legal reforms agreed between the government and the opposition under mediation of South African President Thabo Mbeki and meant to ensure conditions for free and fair elections.

The amendments allow groups or individuals denied permission to organise political meetings or demonstrations to appeal the ban before a magistrate, while the police are also required to provide reasons for banning meetings.

But human rights and pro-democracy activists have criticised the amendments as piecemeal and inadequate.

*Note: Door-to-door campaigning and campaign meetings after dark are traditionally two of the most important methods employed by the opposition in urban areas.

Source: Zim Online (ZW) [6]

SADC standards breached

KweKwe police chief disregards changes to POSA and AIPPA
Source Date: 29-02-2008

The police chief for KweKwe district in the Midlands, Chief Superintendent Charles Chagonda, has said he doesn’t recognise changes made to the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA).

At a meeting with all candidates for the parliamentary, senatorial and council elections in the Midlands town recently, the police chief reportedly told them he had the power to dictate what laws should be used in KweKwe.

MDC legislator for the town, Blessing Chebundo, said Chagonda made it clear he was not going to follow the amended new laws, which were signed into law by Robert Mugabe in January….

‘He has unilaterally banned all gatherings in the town and how do you meet your supporters?’ (asked Chebundo)….

Identified perpetrators: Chief Superintendent Charles Chagonda, police chief for KweKwe district

Source: SW Radio Africa (ZW) [7]

SADC standards breached

MDC candidates arrested for meeting supporters
Source Date: 26-02-2008

Two opposition election candidates were on Monday being held by police after their weekend arrest in Karoi town, more than 200km northwest of Harare, for allegedly meeting supporters without permission from the police.

The two, Godfrey Gumbo and Maireva Gudo Nziramasanga, who belong to the faction of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party led by academic Arthur Mutambara, are expected to appear in court today to answer charges of violating the Public Order and Security Act (POSA)….

According to eyewitnesses, armed police last Friday night stormed a house in the small town’s Chikangwe low-income suburb where the two MDC politicians were meeting supporters to explain their party’s policies ahead of elections next month….

Identified victims: Godfrey Gumbo and Maireva Gudo Nziramasanga, who belong to the faction of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)

Source: Zim Online (ZW) [8]

SADC standards breached

Nominees Barred From Inspecting Voters Roll
Source Date: 21-02-2008

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) is concerned by the continued harassment of voters and aspiring candidates by election officials presiding over some voter inspection centres.

ZLHR is aware that several people wishing to check the voters’ roll in preparation for their nomination as candidates during the 29 March 2008 elections have been denied their right to do so.

ZLHR is also aware that some Zimbabweans, born in Zimbabwe, to foreign parents, have also been frustrated in their seeking to register their names for the elections or inspect the voter’s roll.

ZLHR is aware that two prospective candidates … Mr. B Chiwola and Mrs T. G. B. Stevenson Dickey (MDC MT) were both denied inspection of the voters roll …

Section 21 (1) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) clearly provides that every voter’ roll shall be a public document open to inspection to any member of the public, free of charge, with the right to make any written notes of anything contained therein during office hours. …

Source: Zimbabwean, The (ZW) [9]

SADC standards breached

Theresa Makone alleges electoral fraud
Source Date: 27-02-2008

MDC (Tsvangirai) candidate for Harare North, Theresa Makone alleges electoral fraud in the constituency through the manipulation of the voter registration process.

Makone … says she has established that the ruling Zanu PF party has been bussing voters from outside of the constituency and ensured they were all registered to vote…

Makone, whose husband Ian is the MDC director of elections, says that she is planning to appeal to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) after discovering the "broad daylight cheating" even before the elections day.

Ian says that the situation in Harare North is prevailing generally across the whole country making the voters' roll shambolic.

"We have established that there is serious fraud in the constituency and Zanu PF is determined to steal victory in Harare North unless something is done to stop the cheating," Makone said.

"There are many ghost voters registered in the constituency and we have discovered that it was done systematically with what appears to be the collaboration of election authorities….”

Source: Zimbabwean, The (ZW) [10]

SADC standards breached

ZEC declines to investigate Zanu PF voter registration fraud
Source Date: 27-02-2008

The provincial elections officer for Manicaland has declined to institute an investigation into reports that a Zanu PF legislator has allegedly helped ‘illegal aliens’ to register as voters.

The MDC on Tuesday approached the head of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) in Mutare, Colonel Moffat Masabeya, and informed him of reports that Zanu PF MP for Chipinge south Enock Porusingazi, was involved in voter registration fraud.

It is alleged Porusingazi had on several occasions ferried villagers from Gudu and Save in Mozambique to the district registrar’s offices in Chipinge where he managed to get them identification cards. According to the MDC the volatile Zanu PF legislator would then proceed to ‘have his people registered as voters.’

‘We have information it’s a syndicate between officials from the registrar’s office and Porusingazi. A number of these illegal aliens were registered well after the deadline but their registration slips were backdated to January,’ said an MDC official.

But Colonel Masabeya (a known serving officer in the Zimbabwe National Army), said it was not the duty of the ZEC to investigate such reports …

Source: SW Radio Africa (ZW) [11]

SADC standards breached

ZBC pulls plug on ZESN ads
Source Date: 27-02-2008

President Robert Mugabe's spokesman George Charamba has ordered the State-broadcaster ZBC to pull off air voter education adverts by the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, ZESN.

This is in blatant contravention of SADC principles governing the conduct of elections in member countries.

Authoritative sources at the State broadcaster confirmed that ZBC stopped airing the voter education adverts, which have been conspicuously absent from the airwaves since Friday, the day the directive from the President's Office came…

The directive comes hardly a week after the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) stopped ZESN from conducting voter education, stating that under the Electoral Act, only ZEC was mandated to carry out voter education.

ZEC has admitted that it is heavily ill-equipped and under funded to carry out any exercise on its own…

Source: Zimbabwean, The (ZW) [12]

SADC standards breached

Chronicle rejects Makoni's adverts
Source Date: 29-02-2008

Zimbabwe’a state-run Chronicle newspaper has rejected adverts from presidential challenger Simba Makoni….

Makoni wanted to place adverts in the paper, advertising his election campaign rally scheduled for Bulawayo's White City Stadium on Saturday….

A source at the paper revealed: "Makoni's advert had his picture, dates and venue for the rally. There was a flurry of activity as bosses consulted on what to do, until the paper's editor, Brezhnev Malaba, got an instruction from Harare not to carry it."…

Source: NewZimbabwe.com (ZW) [13]

SADC standards breached

RBZ donates new fleet to state media
Source Date: 29-02-2008

Zimbabwe's central bank has "donated" a fleet of brand new vehicles to state media houses to prop them up ahead of the March 29 elections….

The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), the country's monopoly broadcaster, received 17 vehicles.

Zimpapers, publishers of the country's only two state-run daily newspapers - the Herald and the Chronicle - also received several vehicles …

Source: NewZimbabwe.com (ZW) [14]

SADC standards breached

Defence forces chief orders Zimbabweans to vote Mugabe
Source Date: 29-02-2008

Retired Major-General Paradzayi Zimondi, who is the commissioner of Prisons, …(has told the staff under his command), “I am giving you an order to vote for the President (Cde Mugabe). Do not be distracted. The challenges we are currently facing are just a passing phase," he said.

The Zimbabwe Prison Service is an integral part of the country’s defence forces, which is made up of the national army, air force, police and prisons...

Source: Afrik.com [15]

SADC standards breached

Mugabe awards salary increment to military
Source Date: 28-02-2008

President Robert Mugabe's beleaguered government has awarded huge pay rises to the army ahead of critical elections next month in a bid to calm the restless military.

The move is widely seen as an attempt to pacify the soldiers who have been restive due to poor working conditions and low salaries. The opposition accuses Mugabe's government of vote-buying and ballot-rigging.

The army is a pillar of strength in Mugabe's embattled regime….

Note: Business Day (SA) reports that police and intelligence agents also received pay hikes….

Source: Afrik.com [16]

SADC standards breached

Source URL (retrieved on 18.03.2010 - 15:42): http://www.sokwanele.com/articles/sokwanele/zew_issue18_060308.html

Links:
[1] http://www.sokwanele.com/map/issue18
[2] http://www.swradioafrica.com/news260208/mdchouses260208.htm
[3] http://www.swradioafrica.com/news270208/pishai270208.htm
[4] http://www.theindependent.co.zw/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19838:police-refuse-to-give-makoni-protection&catid=31:local-zimbabwe-stories&Itemid=66
[5] http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=2760
[6] http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=2769
[7] http://www.swradioafrica.com/news290208/kwekwe290208.htm
[8] http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=2776
[9] http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11244:-nominees-barred-from-inspecting-voters-roll&catid=31:top zimbabwe stories&Itemid=66
[10] http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11361:makone-alleges-electoral-fraud&catid=31:top zimbabwe stories&Itemid=66
[11] http://www.swradioafrica.com/news270208/zecdeclines270208.htm
[12] http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11353:zbc-pulls-plug-on-zesn-ads&catid=31:top zimbabwe stories&Itemid=66
[13] http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/makoni13.17818.html
[14] http://www.zimbabwejournalists.com/story.php?art_id=3620&cat=1
[15] http://en.afrik.com/article12702.html
[16] http://en.afrik.com/article12695.html