A REPORT released this week by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum says Zimbabwe’s pre-August poll period has been highly volatile characterised by violence and intimidation of the electorate.
In the report, the NGO forum, which has been producing weekly monitoring reports ahead of the polls, said: “What is clear from the issues raised above is that Zimbabwe is heading towards elections in a highly volatile environment characterised by violence, threats, harassment, and intimidation as well as an electorate that is in a lasting state of fear.”
The NGO Forum report concurs with recent revelations by the Afrobarometer pre-election survey, that about six in 10 (59%) of the people surveyed expressed fears of being victims of political violence ahead of the elections.
The Afrobarometer findings also showed that nearly half (48%) of the respondents felt that previous elections in Zimbabwe often or always led to violence in constituencies.
The majority of the respondents (56%) expressed fear of a repeat of a violent and disputed election.
“This does not bode well for the country as it has potentially detrimental implications for democratic consolidation in the aftermath of the 2023 general election in Zimbabwe,” read the NGO Forum report.
Zimbabwe has a history of violent and disputed elections, the worst having been recorded in 2008 ahead of the presidential run-off pitting the late former President Robert Mugabe and also late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
At least 2 000 MDC supporters were reportedly killed or maimed during the heated run-off campaign period forcing Tsvangirai to boycott the race citing violence and intimidation.
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In 2018, at least six people were killed in post-election violence when soldiers fired live bullets on fleeing protesters who were demonstrating about delayed announcement of presidential election results.
Highlighting cases of political violence recorded between July 7 and 14, the NGO Forum said: “On 14 July, violence erupted in Mbare when Zanu PF youths wanted to block CCC supporters from putting up campaign posters for party presidential candidate Nelson Chamisa, parliamentary candidate Starman Chamisa and aspiring councillor Last Chinodya. The two groups threw stones at each other, bringing business to a standstill. No arrest was made.”
