1 zimbabwe election support network [zesn] - Nehanda Radio
1 zimbabwe election support network [zesn] - Nehanda Radio
1 zimbabwe election support network [zesn] - Nehanda Radio
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CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS<br />
Electoral Environment<br />
While the pre 29 March <strong>election</strong> political environment was relatively calm with evident<br />
semblance of political tolerance to the campaigns by different parties in both rural and urban<br />
areas, scenarios in the run up to the 27 June Presidential run- off cast an incomparable trend.<br />
The electoral environment was generally tense with countrywide restrictions on freedom of<br />
assembly and freedom of movement. Rural areas were virtually sealed off from opposition<br />
rallies, the opposition leadership subjected to sporadic arrests and detentions, and their<br />
campaign vehicles and buses reportedly impounded.<br />
Holding of rallies was a preserve of the ruling ZANU-PF, whilst the MDC-T political rallies were<br />
reportedly systematically disrupted by the ZANU PF militia and youth, mostly with the police as<br />
passive witnesses. Liberation-war style bases were set up throughout the country where those<br />
known or suspected to be in opposition politics went through a “political re-orientation”<br />
program.<br />
Hate speech, incitement of violence, and threats of war characterized electoral campaigns-with<br />
the ruling party presidential candidate threatening to go back to war if he lost the <strong>election</strong> to the<br />
MDC presidential candidate, whom he considered a puppet of the West. All in all, the political<br />
environment resembled that of a country in a civil war.<br />
Politically motivated violence escalated in the post <strong>election</strong> era to an overall figure of 17 605 by<br />
July with an incident spread of 171 cases of murder, 16 cases of rape, 9 148 cases of<br />
assaults, 827 cases of MDPs, 352 of torture, 9590 of harassment, 2165 of displacement and<br />
137 of discriminations. Perpetrators of violence were reportedly making brisk capital out of the<br />
political plight of their victims through charging fees such as returnee fee, pardon fee,<br />
registration fees, among others. Zesn advocates for zero tolerance of violence and the<br />
application of principles and the law on everyone alike.<br />
Election reviews by SADC Election Observer Mission [SEOM], the Pan–African Parliament<br />
Observer Mission, the African Union Observer Mission, and the Botswana Observer Team<br />
strongly suggest an <strong>election</strong> that was grossly flawed in both process and outcome. It was<br />
described as an <strong>election</strong> marred by politically motivated violence, overwhelming lack of access<br />
to the public media by the opposition, restrictions on accreditation of local observers,<br />
politicization of security forces, and gross lack of respect for the electoral process, among other<br />
vices. The Pan African Parliament Observer Mission concluded that the atmosphere prevailing<br />
in the country did not give rise to the conduct of free, fair and credible <strong>election</strong>s and exhorted<br />
that conditions should be put in place for the holding of free, fair and credible <strong>election</strong>s in line<br />
with the African Union Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections. The<br />
SADC Observer Mission concluded that the <strong>election</strong>s did not conform to SADC Principles, that<br />
the prevailing environment impinged on the credibility of the electoral process and was<br />
therefore did not represent the will of the people while the AU Observer Mission concluded that<br />
the Election process fell short of accepted AU standards and urged both parties to engage in<br />
constructive dialogue. The Botswana Observer Team concluded that the credibility and integrity<br />
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