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Things Fall Apart
The 2005 Parliamentary Election, Prospects of True Democracy in Zimbabwe
Crisis Coalition in Zimbabwe
March 30, 2005

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Introduction
Five years ago Zimbabwe experienced the most flawed parliamentary elections in the history of the country's independence. Seeking to retain power, the ruling ZANU PF party and its supporters took extraordinary measures to stifle the true will of the Zimbabwean people and secure an election victory in the June 2000 poll.

Coming as it did on the back of the phenomenal 'NO VOTE' of the February 2000 constitutional referendum, that had been orchestrated through the leadership of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), a platform that had been formed as early as May 1997 to galvanize Zimbabwean citizens around the generation of a people driven Constitution. In the process, the NCA became a rallying point for addressing the very broad national questions of governance and power. A key component of the constitutional movement was the demand for democratic, free and fair elections held in peaceful conditions, tolerant of differing political formations.

The referendum can, without a shadow of doubt, be named the most free and fair expression of choice by Zimbabweans. The Referendum created a sense of confidence in Zimbabweans who went to the 2000 parliamentary poll with the confidence that their choices would be respected. When the results of the 2000 election showed overwhelming support for the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which having been founded on 11 September 1999 was less than a year old, the ruling ZANU PF government had saw that the public's confidence in them had faltered. When the presidential elections of March 2002 secured a win for ZANU PF, through a variety of measures that included widespread intimidation, vote buying, disorganized electoral machinery and deliberate attempts to inhibit voters from casting their ballot, it became known as the "stolen election". Numerous reports about the presidential elections revealed that there had been incredibly high incidences of electoral fraud in Zimbabwe. Politically motivated violence, including acts of arson and beatings, primarily against those individuals who were believed to have sold out to the opposition had prevailed, largely the work of the youth militia and so called veterans of the liberation war. Elements within the police force prevented the opposition MDC from holding rallies. Leaders in the military indicated that they would not fall in line behind an opposition leader. The media, largely state-controlled, ran an incredible propaganda campaign favouring the ruling party.

Zimbabwe's socio-economic environment. It specifically looks at the extent to which the above issues have contributed to the country's governance and legitimacy crisis. The report is not intended to be an exhaustive account of events of the last five years. It simply highlights some key factors that provide a context to the Zimbabwe situation as the country heads for Parliamentary polls this March.

To their credit, the observer missions included groups such as the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum, SADC PF. In the eyes of the observer community, locally and regionally, the election had failed to meet the fundamental requirements of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, international human rights law and norms and standards adopted by SADC-parliamentary Forum and all African electoral Institutions. Ultimately, the Presidential election was neither free nor fair. It violated every single one of the SADC-PF standards accepted by Zimbabwe. There is no doubt that since independence in 1980, Zimbabwe's electoral anomalies have served to deepen the governance and legitimacy crisis facing the country. Economic mal performance has meant the living conditions of the majority of Zimbabweans have dropped significantly. Zimbabwe has also witnessed a marked deterioration in human rights standards. The economy is - despite numerous corrective efforts - in a parlous state.

This report highlights some of the political, legal and social developments that have taken place in Zimbabwe since 2000. A period in which Zimbabwe has witnessed five years of sustained and systematic human rights violations, primarily by the state and its various agencies of power and force. The most significant violations have been during election periods. This report's highlights include: the militarisation of state institutions, repressive legislation, electoral issues, and state sponsored violence.

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