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ZANU PF likely to use violence to win the runoff election
Zimbabwe Youth Forum
April 07, 2008

Youth Forum has great fears that ZANU PF is preparing to use violence to achieve victory in the coming run-off election considering that the methods such as vote buying in form of distributing farm machinery, computers and food did not work as the people of Zimbabwe expressed their unwillingness to continue to be under Robert Mugabe's dictatorial rule by voting against him in the March 29 elections. The use of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to manipulate the election also failed to bear fruit since the rejection of ZANU PF stuffed ballot boxes, a notable example being in Bikita West where the ZANU PF candidate Elias Musakwa attempted to smuggle stuffed ballot boxes to the command center which were rejected by the election officers. The denial of media coverage to the opposition also did not work since the opposition still managed to use alternative methods to reach out to the electorate. The MDC's ability to penetrate in rural areas which used to be regarded as no-go areas also worked to the disadvantage of the ruling party.

With such a scenario ZANU PF is left with one option which has previously been their most effective and usual strategy, the use of violence and elimination of perceived 'sellouts' from their system. Their target this time is likely to be the ZEC officials whom they are accusing of rigging for the opposition hence the demand by ZANU PF for recounting of parliamentary election results in 16 constituencies. This is meant to find a scapegoat to dismiss the current ZEC officials and replace them with more 'loyal' officers. They have also started interfering with the courts as exemplified through the denial by the High Court to hear an urgent MDC application compelling ZEC to release the results of the presidential poll. Such acts are usually prerequisites for ZANU PF whenever they plan to resort to violence. They did it in 2000 after losing the referendum on a new constitution and again the same tactic was used in 2002. In 2000 they started by postponing the elections to give themselves more time to intimidate the electorate which is reminiscent of the current delay in announcing the March 29 poll results.

Mugabe will most likely announce that the election cannot be held in the stipulated 21 days since there is little time to campaign and he can also site the need to mobilize resources to run that election and will most likely use his presidential powers to declare that the elections will be held in 90 days. This will give ZANU PF more time to terrorise the opposition supporters in a typical 2000 and 2002 elections style whereby houses were burnt, people were killed, maimed, tortured, abducted and seriously injured. This is well documented and ZANU PF still vividly remembers that they won the election through that and to them it is just a matter of history repeating itself. With resources having been excessively spent in the March 29 election to win the election for ZANU PF and the trick not bearing fruits, violence remains their only option. Of concern is the mobilization of war veterans to 'defend sovereignty', with war veterans' leader Jabulani Sibanda declaring that they will fight against the recolonisation of Zimbabwe.

The state media has at the same time been beaming inciting headlines. the Herald of 7 April 2008 carried a headline which read,'Tsvangirai plans to give control of RBZ to Germans' and the same paper also has a dubious headline,'" Safeguard Land", says president'. The Herald is also claiming that the white commercial farmers are demanding land from resettled farmers. This is unequivocally meant to incite security forces, war veterans and ZANU PF supporters to be violent in the name of protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, the rhetoric which Mugabe always utters whenever he gets a platform to terrorise the microphone. Mugabe has also started to emphasise his role in liberating Zimbabwe. This is meant to suggest that he is the only person who must be saluted in line with the service chiefs' statements just before the March 29 elections.

While the Youth Forum recognizes the possibility of a run-off emanating from the release of the presidential poll results, we are deeply disturbed by the delay in the release of the results. It is quite surprising that the ruling party can start talking of a run-off election when they know very well that the ZEC has not yet announced the initial election result. The Youth Forum views this as clear evidence that the ruling party has always been working in cahoots with the ZEC to manipulate the electoral process. Youth Forum would like to urge the youths to be mature enough to desist from violence ahead of the likely run-off election since in most cases they are used as instruments of political violence. History will judge us harshly if we do not have respect for human rights, life, and human dignity. Let us as youths be at the helm of condemning violence and accept the will of the majority through the ballot. Youth Forum invites all youths to embark on non-violence campaigns countrywide and also recognizes the need for massive voter education to avoid the apathy that characterized the March 29 election. We urge all pro-democratic forces to unite ahead of this election. Unity is needed now more than ever hence the need to put aside all our difference and fight the continued dictatorship presided over by Robert Mugabe and ZANU PF.

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