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Executive Summary
Analysts confirmed last week that Zimbabwe cannot have free and fair polls next year if there are no radical political and electoral reforms in line with Southern African Development Community (SADC) election guidelines.
In their view, South African President Thabo Mbeki’s pronouncement on 30 August that Zimbabwe will have free and fair polls (in 2008) ignores the political situation on the ground where the ruling Zanu PF has an upper hand against the opposition.
The analysts note that Zanu PF has “unfettered access to state resources …, while the majority of the opposition survives on shoe-string budgets.”
To illustrate this, we include an article from the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper which reports that Zanu PF is mobilising resources, including a staggering Z$600 billion, for its election campaign “since Mugabe has vowed to win at all costs”.
David Chimhini, executive director of the Zimbabwe Civic Education Trust, says Zimbabwe cannot have free and fair elections “when we have failed to adopt the SADC election guidelines of which we are a signatory.” He also stresses the need to level the playing field, which is currently tilted in favour of Zanu PF.
In a surprising turn of events, our lead story reports that the Registrar-General, Tobaiwa Mudede, has for the first time complained of pressure from politicians to register “certain groups of people”. It transpires he has unlawfully used an interpretation of the Citizenship Act to deprive millions of potential Zimbabwean voters, mainly farm workers, of the right to vote.
The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has urged Mudede to re-launch mobile voter registration, saying that insufficient publicity led to the poor turnout. The ZESN notes that the operation has also been undermined by insufficient funding, unqualified personnel and corruption among traditional leaders.
An article from SW Radio Africa, which is barred from operating in Zimbabwe, says Zanu PF has demonstrated its priorities by allocating Z$12,662 trillion or 33 percent of the supplementary budget to defence and security organisations while the National Water Authority is struggling for resources to provide adequate water for the people.
Once again Mugabe is buying the support of senior members of the army and police, as well as the Central Intelligence Organisation, by spending thousands of US dollars on luxury vehicles while the country has no foreign currency for essentials like drugs.
It transpires there may have been an ulterior motive to the recent war veteran march in support of Mugabe. Just days afterwards, they requested the government hike their monthly allowance five times: From Z$2 million to Z$10 million per month.
Violence continues to be a hallmark of Zanu PF’s modus operandi. A member of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change party in the Marondera area has been stabbed to death while his friend has been paralysed. Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights is looking into this latest incident as a case of political violence.
Registrar-General complains of pressure from politicians to register ‘certain groups of people’ for next year’s elections
Source Date: 06-09-2007
Registrar General (R-G) Tobaiwa Mudede has for the first time complained of pressure from politicians with regard to the voter registration exercise, which the opposition claims has been used to disenfranchise its support base.
A report by the Defence and Home Affairs Parliamentary committee also disputes the R-G’s view that the Citizenship Act requires that people born locally to parents of foreign descent must first renounce their “potential foreign citizenship” before they can be recognised as Zimbabwean citizens.
Failure to renounce their foreign title, according to the Registrar General, results in forfeiture of Zimbabwean citizenship.
Mudede has used this interpretation of the law to deprive millions of Zimbabweans of the right to vote.
But quoting the Government Gazette General Notice 584 of 2002, under the subheading Renunciation of foreign Citizenship, the committee said a person who is a citizen by birth cannot be deprived of his or her citizenship, and cannot be asked to renounce foreign citizenship he or she never acquired…
The committee undertook the probe on citizenship after the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights told Members of Parliament that Mudede was unlawfully withdrawing citizenship from people with rightful title to citizenship, resulting in a flood of lawsuits that his department was losing.
The report shows that in his evidence before the committee Mudede claimed he was under pressure from politicians to register certain groups of people to vote in next year’s elections.
… Zanu PF summoned Mudede in May to appear before its caucus for a hearing for which the sole item on the agenda was “Citizenship problems.”
Sources who attended that meeting …, told The Financial Gazette at the time that ruling party legislators had pointed out to Mudede that they risked losing the support of millions of potential voters, mainly farm workers, who were affected by laws compelling them to renounce foreign citizenship.
The Parliamentary report says: “The R-G gave the following evidence: due to forthcoming elections, some politicians are campaigning to increase their support base using services provided for by the Government. The resistance to dual citizenship has been an ongoing battle fought in various fora.”
Contributing to the report, Zanu PF Senator for Highfield-Glen Norah-Glen View, Charles Tawengwa, said based on the cases that the R-G had lost in the courts it appeared that the Government was victimising its citizens.
Source: Financial Gazette, The (ZW)
Link to source: http://www.fingaz.co.zw/story.aspx?stid=1162
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
- 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;
- 7.3: [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 …
Election monitor urges relaunch of voter registration exercise
Source Date: 03-09-2007
The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has urged the Registrar-General to re-launch mobile voter registration…
ZESN reported there was insufficient publicity for the mobile registration, leading to poor turnout.
According to the report the operation’s success was further undermined by insufficient funding, unqualified personnel and corruption among traditional leaders.
The election monitoring group said only 80,000 people were registered, adding that a large number of people displaced by the government’s 2005 slum clearance campaign known as Operation Murambatsvina were not served by the mobile registrars.
The report commented adversely on the involvement of members of the police, the Central Intelligence Organisation and the prison service in the registration process.
ZESN Officer Denford Beremauro commented that the country is poorly prepared to hold proper and professional elections in early 2008 as planned.
Source: VOANews (USA)
Link to source: http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/2007-09-03-voa54.cfm
SADC standards breached
- 2.1.1: Full participation of the citizens in the political process;
- 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 …
- 2.1.8: Voter education.
- 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 …
- 7.5: [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 …
Sceptical of outcome, Zimbabwe public weighs in on amendment
Source Date: 07-09-2007
Public hearings in Harare and Bulawayo on the Zimbabwean government’s proposal to amend the national constitution in ways that would significantly change the electoral landscape are primarily turning up opposition to the measure…
Though parliament was registering public opinion on the proposed amendment, some who attended the hearings said they doubted whether the public input would have an impact on the final shape of the legislation to be tabled in parliament.
Experts noted that as a constitutional amendment, the law does not have to be vetted by a parliamentary committee but can go straight to the floor for debate after which the ruling Zanu PF party, armed with the two-thirds majority it claimed in the 2005 general election, could easily pass it for signature by President Robert Mugabe.
Another issue of concern is timing - presidential and general elections are just seven months off, and many of the constitutional changes that are envisioned in the draft of the legislation would tip the scales in favour of Mugabe’s ruling party.
For instance, the amendment will create 60 new house seats, for a total of 2010, giving the ruling party an opportunity to gerrymander ruling party-safe districts.
Source: VOANews (USA)
Link to source: http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/Zimbabwe/2007-09-07-voa57.cfm
SADC standards breached
- 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…
Zanu PF seeks $600 billion for polls
Source Date: 31-08-2007
The ruling Zanu PF is mobilising resources, including a staggering $600 billion budget, for its election campaign ahead of the 2008 poll that President Robert Mugabe has vowed to win at all costs.
Documents obtained from Zanu PF show the ruling party is pulling out all the stops to mobilise vast resources to fund its ambitious campaign for the joint parliamentary and presidential elections in March.
Zanu PF has huge state resources — including the state security agencies, money and vehicles — at its command and will be using them during its campaigns. By contrast, the opposition parties have limited resources… Foreign donations are prohibited.
Source: Zimbabwe Independent, The (ZW)
Link to source: http://www.thezimbabweindependent.com/
viewinfo.cfm?linkid=11&id=11308&siteID=1
SADC standards breached
- 2.1.3: Political tolerance;
- 2.1.6: Equal opportunity to exercise the right to vote and be voted for
- 4.1.6: Funding of political parties must be transparent and based on agreed threshold.
Security and defence gobble up half the budget as elections approach
Source Date: 07-09-2007
…Defence and security institutions have gobbled up almost half of a (supplementary) budget whose revenue was never disclosed. The budget was presented by Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi…
With the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) struggling for resources to provide adequate water for people, the President’s Office, under which the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) falls, and the Ministry of Defence and Home Affairs, got a staggering Z$12,662 trillion, 33 percent of the supplementary budget.
MDC secretary general Tendai Biti says if slush funds allocated to the same security institutions are added up, then 43 percent of the budget is going towards financing the security aparatus…
Source: SW Radio Africa (ZW)
Link to source: http://www.swradioafrica.com/news070907/budget070907.htm
SADC standards breached
-
2.1.3: Political tolerance;
- 4.1.2: Conducive environment for free, fair and peaceful elections
New wheels for Mugabe’s army, police bosses
Source Date: 29-08-2007
Critics say President Robert Mugabe’s regime is splashing resources on the security agents to appease them in view of the economic crisis and rising political tensions ahead of next year’s polls.
Zimbabwe has spent thousands of US dollars acquiring luxury vehicles for army and police chiefs, at a time when the country has no foreign currency for essentials such as drugs, it has emerged…
The army chefs have Toyota Prados and Mercedes Benz, depending on their ranks, while hundreds of Toyota Yaris (have been acquired) for the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO)….
The army remains President Mugabe’s centre of power.
Source: NewZimbabwe.com (ZW)
Link to source: http://newzimbabwe.com/pages/army31.16852.html
SADC standards breached
- 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 …
- 7.5: [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
Panic in Harare as war vets demonstrate in support of Mugabe
Source Date: 29-08-2007
An unruly mob of about 5,000 war veterans, escorted by three police vehicles, demonstrated noisily through the city of Harare on 29 August, waving placards and chanting revolutionary songs in praise of President Mugabe…
War veterans’ leader Jabulani Sibanda told journalists that…the war veterans were rallying behind Mugabe and would not accept any other candidate to stand on a ruling party ticket in next year’s presidential ballot.
Observers say the march is a prelude to Zanu PF’s violent offensive now gathering momentum before presidential elections next year.
Opposition spokesman Nelson Chamisa said it was shocking that the war veterans (many of whom were “fake” individuals too young to have fought in the liberation struggle) were literally escorted by excited policemen during their march…
(In a separate interview with SW Radio Africa, Chamisa said the police had refused to grant their party permission to hold rallies around the country at least 113 times during August alone).
Source: Zimbabwean, The (ZW)
Link to source: http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/viewinfo.cfm?id=5804&linkid=35&linkcategoryid=27&siteid=1
SADC standards breached
- 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
War veterans want Mugabe to hike perks five times
Source Date: 07-09-2007
…Two weeks after pledging undying loyalty to President Robert Mugabe and declaring him the only one fit to rule the country, veterans of Zimbabwe’s liberation war have asked the government to hike their monthly allowances five times.
The veterans … wield immense influence in the governing Zanu PF party after waging violence and terror against the opposition at every election to ensure victory for the ruling party.
In a letter to Social Welfare Minister Nicholas Goche, dated 3 September 2007, the ex-combatants said they want their allowances hiked from $2 million to $10 million per month…(school-teachers earn about $3 million per month)…
They … appear to have timed their request for more money well, a few months ahead of key presidential and parliamentary elections next year when the government needs the veterans the most to intimidate the opposition and to mobilise votes for Zanu PF.
Source: Zim Online (ZW)
Link to source: http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=1975
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;
- 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 …
Zimbabwe opposition candidate in Marondera reported stabbed to death
Source Date: 04-09-2007
Officials of Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change said an activist in rural Marondera had been stabbed to death late Friday while another member of the party who was stabbed in the same incident was paralysed as a result.
Sources in the MDC faction of Morgan Tsvangirai said Jabulani Chiwoka, a candidate in rural district elections to be held in January, was killed by suspected members of the ruling Zanu PF party while Tafiranyika Nyandoro was hospitalised and immobile.
The alleged incident of political violence in the approach to national elections in early 2008 was said to have occurred in Marondera, Mashonaland East, a stronghold of the ruling Zanu PF party that has at times been a “no-go zone” for the opposition…
In a recent report, the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum said that seven months into 2007, the year has broken previous records for reported political violence, citing the approach of local, general and presidential elections in early 2008…
Attorney Tafadzwa Mugabe of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (said) his group had received a report of the incident and was looking into it as a case of political violence.
Source: VOANews (USA)
Link to source: http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/Zimbabwe/2007-09-04-voa99.cfm
SADC standards breached
- 2.1.2: Freedom of association;
- 2.1.3: Political tolerance;
- 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;
Mugabe donates Z$300 million to Catholic women
Source Date: 29-08-2007
A top ally of President Robert Mugabe last weekend handed $300 million to Roman Catholic Church women.
Oppah Muchinguri, head of the women’s wing in his ruling Zanu PF party, said (the money) was donated by the Zimbabwean leader to help the women start income generating projects….
Sources said Muchinguri told the women that the donated money - which has raised eyebrows coming as the country heads for crucial presidential and parliamentary elections next year - was meant to help them start farming projects…
Mugabe regularly distributes freebies to voters ahead of major polls in what critics view as an attempt to curry favour with the electorate.
Identified perpetrators: Oppah Muchinguri, head of the women’s wing in Mugabe’s ruling Zanu PF party
Source: Zim Online (ZW)
Link to source: http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=1925
SADC standards breached
- 7.5: [The member state holding elections shall] Take all necessary measures and precautions to prevent the perpetration of fraud, rigging…
Service providers setting up spy equipment
Source Date: 29-08-2007
Mobile and Internet service providers (ISPs) have begun installing surveillance equipment, in compliance with the controversial Interception of Communications Act, the Zimbabwe Internet Access Providers (ZIAP) confirmed this week…
Industry sources say mobile phone companies have also begun importing the equipment necessary to give government access to data, calls and other information…
Heads of service providers who do not comply with the new law face imprisonment of up to three years…
Source: Financial Gazette, The (ZW)
Link to source: http://www.fingaz.co.zw/story.aspx?stid=1131
SADC standards breached
- 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
-
4.1.1: 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…
- 7.8: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure the transparency and integrity of the entire electoral process …
Further comments in relation to Zimbabwean legislation:
The spying law says persons who are authorised to make applications for interception of communications include the chiefs of Defence and Intelligence, the Director-General of the President’s department of National Security, the Commissioner of Police and the Commissioner-General of the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority. All of these positions are held by people loyal to the Zanu PF party, making it likely that the law will be used for political gain and to monitor and control the opposition movement, human rights activists and the media.
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