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Chingwena villagers denounce deployment of troops in Mutoko
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
November 24, 2011

The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition convened a meeting at Makosa Primary School, Chingwena village in Mutoko on Wednesday 23 November 2011. The meeting was attended by 73 participants (29 females and 44 males) including teachers, church leaders and local businessmen. The purpose of the meetings was to give feedback on the constitution making process and prepare people for the referendum expected in the first quarter of 2012. The meeting also included discussion of the disruption of opposition rallies and the rising political tensions. Villagers expressed concern over the deployment of soldiers in the area and distribution of agricultural inputs by military personnel who remind them of 2008 violent sham election.

The Coalition team informed participants that the constitution making process has reached the drafting stage and that a workshop on the modalities of the drafting was convened in Masvingo. Participants also informed The Coalition team that community members were under strict instructions not to participate in any outreach meetings which were not sanctioned by the chief and are being threatened with violence that they have never seen before. The Coalition team however, urged participants to take part in critical national processes as well as to demand liability from their traditional leaders and ensure that what they said during the public outreach meetings reflected in the draft constitution otherwise they have a right and power to reject it.

The key issues that also emerged from the meeting were as follows:

1. Most people in rural areas who have limited access to the media and are not aware of progress of the constitution making process.
2. Violence and intimidation have increased in the rural areas as political parties gear up for the possibility of an election in 2012.
3. Villagers are not aware if the voting at the referendum will be done according to the voter's roll or by the use of Identification Card.
4. Registration of new voters is hampered by long distances to the points of registration and the requirements of registration.
5. Transitional justice should take its course-perpetrators should be brought to book.
6. Political parties must be free to conduct their rallies and supporters should be free from victimization, intimidation and violence.
7. There should be a clear roadmap that will guide the GPA parties to facilitate the holding of free and fair elections in Zimbabwe.

Participants also made the following recommendations:

1. The Coalition must further popularize its roadmap and minimum demands for the holding of free and fair elections to the rural citizenry who have little knowledge of electoral issue sin Zimbabwe.
2. The Coalition must put in place security mechanisms that protect participants from victimization and harassment after attending community meetings.
3. Lastly, Crisis Coalition should also come up with peace-building and income generating initiatives that foster unity and tolerance among community members.

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