De overheid van Zimbabwe heeft als vuilnisbeschuldigingen beschreven dat de algemene verkiezingen die voor 29 worden gepland Maart niet vrij en eerlijk zouden zijn. Dit volgt een rapport door US-based Horloge van Rechten van de mens, dat voorstelt dat de verdedigers van de zittende overheid van zanu-PF van President Robert Mugabe's geweld gebruiken om aanhangers van oppositiepartijen te intimideren. De overheid van Mugabe vecht dat de significante veranderingen zijn aangebracht om ervoor te zorgen dat de verkiezingen van deze maand geloofwaardig zijn.

Het voegt toe dat de kiescommissie van het land voldoende wordt voorbereid en onbevooroordeeld in het lossen van zijn plichten zou zijn. Gordon Moyo is de uitvoerende directeur van het Bulawayo project, een niet-gouvernementele organisatie die in het commerciële kapitaal van het land wordt gebaseerd. Van Bulawayo, vertelt hij verslaggever Peter Clottey dat de verkiezingen niet geloofwaardig zouden zijn.

“The facts on the ground are that the government has engaged on its cultural violence, which it has been practicing over the years. We had a situation over the past two weeks where the commissioner of prison services addressed the police and told them that they should vote for ZANU-PF, ordering them to vote for ZANU-PF. That sends signals to the military structures that they should defend ZANU-PF, disrupt opposition campaigns, and disturb people’s peace. That alone is violence because it is a precursor to what is likely to take place if Mugabe were to lose,” Moyo pointed out.

He denied President Mugabe’s government has made significant strides in ensuring this month’s elections are credible.

“We are actually havening the police commissioner. We are actually having the military structures at a very senior level making such statements. Any other statement becomes a political statement, but the statements that are coming from military structures and from the security community are serious violations of electoral guidelines that govern democratic elections in the SADC (Southern African Development Community),” he said.

Moyo accused the government of employing tactics that undermine basic election practices in a democracy.

“So, it’s violence, threats, and it is about manipulation. Not only that we know that the chiefs around the rural areas are going around telling people that only ZANU-PF supporters are going to vote on 29 March. And that anyone who is not going to vote for ZANU-PF should go and vote on 30^th March. These are strategies from the ZANU-PF, and are part of intimidation because if you are telling people not to go and vote on 29 March, then you are intimidating them. You are disenfranchising them and that kind of election can never be free, can never be fair,” Moyo noted.

He expressed confidence in the ordinary Zimbabwean to change the government.

“Indeed, Zimbabweans are resolved to vote this dictatorship out. They are prepared to vote for change, and for change that they trust. But this government of Robert Mugabe is going to steal the election. We know that they are saying they are going to use helicopters to carry ballot papers, and they are not going to allow polling agents to accompany the ballot papers,” he said.         

Moyo said President Mugabe’s recent statements ahead of next week’s elections amount to intimidation.         

“And again the president has issued a decree at the end of last week that police officers are going to be inside the polling booths, and they are going to be assisting people to vote. Those are threats and you cannot have free and fair elections. But Zimbabweans at all levels are resolved to vote for change,” Moyo said.

By Peter Clottey
Washington, D.C.

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