There is already acrimony in the Government of National Unity with the MDC-T claiming there is a resurgence of politically motivated violence by Zanu (PF), with the most recent case being the death of 12-year-old, Christpower Maisiri, who was caught in a suspected arson in Headlands. MDC-T Secretary General, Tendai Biti, has laid the blame for Maisiri’s death on Zanu (PF) Secretary for Administration, Didymus Mutasa. Another disturbing trend is the alleged manipulation of the voter registration process by Zanu (PF). MDC-T has claimed that its supports wishing to register are being frustrated at various Registrar General’s offices across the country while Zanu (PF) supporters have no problem with registration. Recently, an MDC-T official revealed to The Zimbabwean that Zanu (PF) officials working in cahoots with officers form the Registrar General’s Department were registering rural voters to vote in urban constituencies in a bid to cover up for their 2008 loss.
The persecution of Non-Governmental Organisations, which are expected to play a pivotal role in the next election, has painted a gloomy picture of a credible election.
Civic society organisations that have fallen victim to persecution by the police and state security agents include the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, the Zimbabwe Peace Project, Counselling Services Unit and ZimRights, among others.
Recently an American delegation of Deputy Assistant Secretaries of State expressed serious reservations over the persecution of civic society organisations ahead of elections.
The delegation said that Zanu (PF)’s insistence that international observers would not be invited to monitor the next election would only serve to make the election outcome less credible.
Full Article: Credible elections a farce? | The Zimbabwean.