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Immediate intervention for peace - Kuwadzana
Zimbabwe Civic Education Trust (ZIMCET)
February 20, 2003

Background
The Zimbabwe Civic Education Trust is concerned about the up coming by-elections in Highfield and Kuwadzana at the end of March. Our election monitoring team in Kuwadzana has revealed that the alleged dismantling of base camps in the constituency was just a hoax. Most of the base camps are still operational although violent activities have been scaled down. The base camp that was manned at the Kuwadzana library is still in existence and the only thing that has changed is that there are no more flags marking the presents of the youth.

Fortunately enough, the level of violence related to the by-election has been restricted to minor skirmishes and verbal threats. ZIMCET however believes that if these continue unabated, full-scale violence will mark the launch of campaigns in the constituency.

The ZIMCET election monitoring team has also revealed that vote buying is continuing with one candidate (Mr. Mutasa) alleged to be using the shortage of mealie meal as a way of coercing voters to vote for him. These allegations have been further substantiated by the alleged collection of names, addresses and identity card numbers of those wanting the commodity by youth assembled at Kuwadzana 5 base camp. The camp has been noted as the most notorious one and is manned by two war veterans and at least ten youths. The activities of that particular camp have been confined to morning and evening raids on illegal black-market vendors, who are mostly women, and confiscation of commodities like bread, maize meal and cooking oil. Apparently, it is not just the illegal black-market traders who are suffering, so are the informal traders. At the end of the day, people engaged in legitimate means of self empowerment are having their wares sold at ridiculously low prices and most of it taken to the five base camps and consumed by the self-proclaimed consumer watchdogs.

ZIMCET fears that even though violence in the constituency has been restricted, once the parties contesting begin to campaign for the seat, all hell may break loose. Experience has taught the Trust that politically driven violence is normally sparked off by a minor incident, and in Zimbabwe it follows a particular sequence.

Base-camps are set up to monitor the situation.

The occupants of the camps then begin to engage in anti-social behavior – harassment and intimidation, illegal curfews and/or roadblocks and in extreme cases, open and direct physical violence against people opposed to their party.

At times they assume the role of champions of the cause of the ordinary suffering people in an attempt to capture the support of the majority.

In so doing they split the community along social lines, the rich against the poor – hence creating conflict.

If no situation arises for the creation of conflict, occupants of the base camps instigate violence against members of their opposition.

Some of these indicators have already begun to appear in Kuwadzana and Highfield may follow suit in the not so distant future. What is even more disturbing about the whole scenario is the fact that women are the major victims of the whole process of winning a parliamentary seat. The majority of the legal and illegal traders in Kuwadzana are women and their attempts at self-empowerment are being rebuffed by an illegitimate grouping only interested in self-sustenance. It is feared that if no mechanism is put in place by civic society to avert the escalation of victimisation towards women, the scourge may resurface in Highfield in a more mature form.

Women in the urban set-up contribute to the survival of the entire family. They are responsible for the procurement of the basic commodities. It is sad if these women are to be ignored as they spent most of their time queuing for commodities for both consumption and resell, only to have them confiscated by vigilantes, sold for next to nothing or even destroyed. It would be sad for civic society to turn a deaf ear to the pleas of some of these women who are breadwinners, to be harassed and assaulted in the process of having their wares unceremoniously taken away. Their only crime is trying to feed their families in these trying economic times and the unjustifiable objectives of the bands of youth perpetrating such atrocities is to appear advocates for justice and champions of the suffering masses, in an attempt to gain acceptance of and support for their party.

For the first time since the formation of a strong opposition political party, women have been direct victims of violence at a large scale and the mere fact that this violence is being perpetrated before campaigning starts, dread what the future will hold.

Way Forward
The Trust acknowledges and welcomes the putting together of a coordinating committee by the esc to promote dialogue between contesting parties. As a way of complementing this positive development towards the staging of a truly peaceful, free and fair election, ZIMCET proposes the following, in an attempt to set an example for Highfield and any future by-election that violence of any nature or form is retrogressive.

The convening of a press conference by all contesting candidates in the constituency to make bold and clear statements denouncing violence and calling for peaceful, tolerant, free and fair elections.

Unreservedly calling for the dismantling of existing base-camps in the constituency by all contesting candidates at the press conference.

Requesting the contesting candidates to passionately publicly seek police clearance for a march for peace in the constituency.

Mobilise the churches in the constituency together with women engaged in informal trading to set aside one Sunday to march peacefully throughout the constituency calling for peaceful campaigning by all contesting parties and individuals.

Convince the contesting candidates to join the electorate in the march for peace.

Conclusion
The Zimbabwe Civic Education Trust is confident that if all these proposals are carried out before the candidates begin to campaign formally, a possible blood bath may be averted and for the first time in the history of elections in the country, a peaceful by-election can actually be recorded. More importantly, the plight of urban women may be brought under spotlight for the first time and these women will actually begin to realise and use the authority that they possess not just as the majority of the electorate, but also as mothers of the community.

The support of the contesting candidates will be very pivotal in setting an example, that with the right planning and political will, peace can actually be fostered during an election period.

Lastly, the situation prevalent in Kuwadzana at the moment challenges ZIMCET with an opportunity to exercise practical methods of building peace in a conflict situation. Any successes recorded in the project will have a direct bearing on the overall performance of the Trust in peace building.

David Chimhini
Executive Director

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