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Zimbabwe
Election Watch Issue No. 12
Sokwanele
December 04, 2007
http://www.sokwanele.com/articles/sokwanele/zew_issue12_041207.html
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Executive
Summary
Reportedly riled
when South African President Thabo Mbeki raised allegations of continued
violence against opposition supporters during their meeting in Harare
late last month, President Mugabe dismissed them as the "usual
accusations" made by the opposition Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC).
However, the
MDC has provided Mr Mbeki with a substantial dossier of cases of
violence against its members. Other aspects of major concern highlighted
by the opposition and civil society include the crushing of rallies,
meetings and protest marches by riot police, and the politicisation
of traditional leaders and food distribution.
According to
human rights documentation in the possession of Dr Jendayi Frazer,
US Assistant Secretary for State, this year is the worst to date
for human rights abuses. On record are about 6 000 instances of
abuse, more than 90 cases of politically motivated kidnappings and
abductions, and 3 463 detailed cases of torture.
As President
Mbeki flew out of Harare, 22 activists from the National
Constitutional Assembly were severely tortured by state security
agents and ruling party enforcers at the Zanu PF headquarters in
Harare.
Although the
army has traditionally supported Mr Mugabe, a retired army colonel,
Bernard Matongo says the regime is in denial about the violence
and the only way the opposition should go for elections is if the
Southern African Development Community (SADC) sends monitors six
months in advance.
Harare political
scientist Eldred Masungure says the new electoral laws that have
been published provide a better electoral framework, but free and
fair elections will only take place if President Robert Mugabe and
his Zanu PF party honour them.
The Crisis
in Zimbabwe Coalition says there is an urgent need create a
conducive electoral environment for all parties and to deal with
issues surrounding the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), which
is packed with Zanu PF sympathisers.
The Zimbabwe
Election Support Network, a civic election monitoring group,
notes that legislation alone cannot prevent malpractices. Their
recent
report cites numerous discrepancies in the registration process,
as well as allegations of bribery and corrupt practices.
In a letter
to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, the Morgan Tsvangirai-led
faction of the MDC says a recent audit shows that the voters' roll
is unusable and is full of "dead and ghost voters". The
party also says it cannot accept the current flawed delimitation
exercise.
Despite requests
to shelve the exercise until the conclusion of the current talks,
the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission insists it will press
ahead with demarcation of constituencies.
A national
survey conducted by the Mass
Public Opinion Institute finds that most Zimbabweans eligible
to vote have not received any worthwhile voter education.
The Zimbabwe
Peace Project has documented
267 cases in September in which food and other forms of aid,
such as the provision of seed, were carried out along political
lines.
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