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Grave concern over post 29 March 2008 political situation in Zimbabwe
Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe (CCJP)
April 30, 2008

The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJPZ) would like to emphatically register its profound concern over the fast deteriorating political and security situation in Zimbabwe since the watershed 29 March 2008 elections. Elections should be an occasion for the governed to choose, as freely and fairly as possible, who will govern them. After all, that is what the liberation struggle was all about i.e. to have and enjoy the freedom to choose their rulers.

The CCJPZ issued two pre-election statements in which it urged people to go out and vote and for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to conduct itself with professionalism as per its constitutional obligation to conduct elections "efficiently, freely, fairly, transparently and in accordance with the law." We have since issued two post-election statements one of which warned against the inordinate delay in releasing results of the presidential election. More than four weeks after March 29, the results are still a secret only known to ZEC.

Credible witness reports reaching the CCJPZ and those appearing in the media are deeply disturbing. There are countrywide reports of systematic violence in the form of assaults, murders, torture, abductions, intimidation and wanton destruction of property against innocent civilians whose alleged crime is to have voted "wrongly." Many people have become internally displaced hence unable to vote should there be a run-off. The peaceful environment that existed prior to the elections has suddenly disappeared to be replaced by a climate of fear and despondency perpetrated by regular and irregular forces that control the means of violence. The execution of duty by the police in apprehending perpetrators has been unsatisfactory and smacks of political partisanship.

Surely, had this situation existed before the March 29 elections, it would not have been possible to conduct credible elections. It is in this light that we firmly believe the prevailing situation is NOT conducive to holding free and fair elections. Should the presidential election results indicate the need for a run-off election, we humbly submit that such a run-off cannot he held under the present circumstances. The population is now too traumatised that a run-off election will only serve to deepen this sad state of affairs.

Further, due to the wide displacement of people on the ground that constituted polling agents of both political parties and also poll observers for different organisations, fielding of adequate numbers for each polling station will not be possible putting the outcome into question.

Regrettably, the conduct of ZEC has seriously eroded its credibility as a neutral and non-partisan electoral umpire. All fair-minded Zimbabweans have lost faith and confidence in ZEC which can no longer be trusted to superintend a run-off.

In this regard CCJPZ strongly recommends that any run-off should be under the observation of both SADC and AU while the United Nations plays a supervisory role. These are the only neutral and impartial bodies that can preside over the run-off to the satisfaction of all stakeholders and guarantee the legitimacy of the poll results.

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