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This article participates on the following special index pages:
2002 Presidential & Harare Municipal elections - Index of articles
Position
on the Presidential Election Campaign
Zimbabwe
Liberators’ Platform
March 08, 2002
Zimbabwe Liberators
platform (ZLP) is a non-partisan registered non-governmental organisation
formed by genuine war veterans whose core business is to advocate
for peace, democracy, good governance and development.
As war veterans,
we would like to comment on the current Presidential election campaign
and the whole election process. In the interest of our members and
the public we note the following with great concern:
1. Politically Motivated Violence and Intimidation TOP
The Presidential
election campaign thus far has been characterized by politically
motivated violence, murder, beating, torture, intimidation, rape,
arbitrary arrest and detention of citizens. This has resulted in
the loss of valuable life, traumatization of the raped, enemity
and divisions among the citizens and destruction of property.
We, the genuine
war veterans, unreservedly condemn all forms of violence and intimidation.
It is our belief that there is not one politician who is worth dying
for, and that life is a sacred gift from God.
We therefore
appeal to all the contesting political parties to desist from the
use or threat of violence as a means of garnering support.
2. Unequal Access to Public Media TOP
By their very
nature, all the public mass media belong to the public and the state.
Therefore, during national elections the public mass media are required
to give equal and fair coverage to all the contesting parties for
the benefit of the public.
We implore the
state controlled media to accord equal media access to all contesting
presidential candidates. ZLP believes that equal access to public
media is one of the pre-conditions for fair and free elections.
3. Professionalism in the Police Force TOP
According to
the Police Service Charter, the police force has the duty to protect
life and property and maintain law and order in a professional and
competent way. During election time the police have a legitimate
role and duty to provide security to all contesting party supporters
without taking sides. We note with dismay that since the presidential
campaign started, the police have not been professional in the performance
of their duties, being soft on one contesting party and hard on
another.
In view of this
we call on the police force to discharge their responsibilities
in a professional manner, giving equal and fair treatment to all
citizens including party supporters.
4. Rushed Enactment of Repressive Laws TOP
The period in
the run-up to Presidential election has seen the rushed passage
of the most repressive laws and bills ever by parliament. The parliament
of Zimbabwe enacted the ‘Public Order and Security Act ( P.O.S A.),
the Access to Information and Protection Privacy Bill and the General
Laws Amendments Act. ZLP is gravely concerned that these laws are
being passed without due regard to the constitutional rights and
freedoms of the citizens. These laws curtail the citizens’ freedoms
of expression, association, movement and assembly. Unwarranted excessive
discretional powers have been given to the police, making citizens
live in great fear of arbitrary arrest.
We also pay
special attention to the General Laws Amendments Act which disenfranchised
thousands of citizens of their right to vote, particularly lodgers
and Zimbabwe citizens living abroad who are not working in the uniformed
services or diplomatic missions. In addition it curtails the right
of all civic organisations to undertake civic voter education programmes
and operations of independent observers and private media journalists.
We, as ZLP observe
with concern that the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy
Bill tramples upon the freedom of the Press thereby depriving the
citizens of their right to make informed choices.
5. Election campaign TOP
Since the February
2000 constitutional referendum, Zimbabwe has been riddled with violence,
murder, intimidation, destruction of property, unequal access to
public media and accusations by the opposition parties of a lack
of a “level playing field”.
ZLP notes with
deep concern that some party supporters and militia are mounting
illegal roadblocks demanding party cards and confiscating citizens’
national identity cards. As citizens are required by law to produce
identity cards when voting, this practice therefore has a well-calculated
motive to deprive contesting party supporters of their right to
vote.
The practice
of declaring some constituencies “no go areas” is a bad development
that is intended to deny the electorate their right to make informed
choices.
6. Electoral Supervisory Commission (ESC) TOP
ZLP is further
concerned that the ESC’s powers to monitor and adequately supervise
elections have been taken away and deliberately concentrated on
the Registrar General.
In addition
the ESC does not have the power to recruit and dismiss staff on
the grounds of professionalism and competence. Furthermore, it relies
on seconded staff and does not have its own budget. Under these
circumstances the impartiality and independence of the commission
may be greatly compromised.
We, as ZLP therefore
assert that given the prevailing conditions it may not be possible
to have a free and fair presidential election in March, 2002.
We therefore
appeal to:
- Government
to ensure unimpeded freedom of all candidates to campaign throughout
the country;
- Security
forces to prevent militias from mounting illegal roadblocks and
confiscating national identity cards.
- Government
to provide free and adequate security to all the four candidates
during campaigns and provide reasonable security at political
meetings and rallies.
- The police
to discharge their duties in a professional manner and give equal
treatment to all contesting parties supporters without biases.
- All contesting
political parties to desist from the use of violence as a tool
of garnering political support.
- The youth
and genuine war veterans to resist political manipulation by unscrupulous
politicians.
- Government
to accredit observers from all civic organisations interested
in observing elections.
- Government
to respect the conduct of the ESC as an independent and impartial
body.
Visit the ZLP
fact
sheet
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