Human rights

ZIMBABWE: tense atmosphere, low voter numbers in by-election

2002-11-07, Issue 87

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/rights/11294

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The polling period during the recent Insiza by-election was generally peaceful with few irregularities, according to a preliminary report by the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN). However, ZESN said the atmosphere had been tense due to the presence of militia, marauding war veterans and pre-election violence. On the second day of polling the MDC candidate had been told by the police not to enter the constituency because he was told his safety could not be guaranteed. "The issue of food shortage and hunger coupled with underdevelopment in the constituency was exploited so as to gain political mileage by the ruling party," said the report.

Zimbabwe Election Support Network(ZESN)
1082 Western Close
Greendale P.O. Box BE 630
Belvedere,
Harare,
Zimbabwe
Telefax: 263-4-480148-9
e-mail : zesn@africaonline.co.zw
website: www.zesn.org.zw


Preliminary Summary of Insiza By-Election

Background

The election was as a result of the death of the MDC Member of Parliament, Andrew Ndhlovu, who complained of abdominal pains and died after having eaten an apple during a reception at the close of a parliamentary workshop in Masvingo. The election was on the 26th and 27th of October 2002.The nomination court was held on the 4th of October 2002 at the Filabusi District Council offices. The registered candidates for the poll were Andrew Langa for Zanu PF and Siyabonga Ncube for the MDC.

Pre-election Period

The pre-election period was marred by violence which was mainly perpetrated by Zanu PF against the opposition. During the run up to the poll there were shooting incidents which occasioned the death of one MDC supporter, Kadengu who was allegedly shot by either the Zanu PF candidate or one Patrick Hove in a skirmish. There were systematic and selective arrests of MDC youths on allegations of violence by the police as they embarked on a selective process of application of the law.

By Elections are always associated with violence which is sponsored by Zanu PF and the Insiza by - election is no exception. A run down of some of the highlights of the violent cases that have been noted are outlined hereunder.

1. 15 October 2002.

At around 11pm MDC are robbed of campaign material at gunpoint by suspected CIO operatives. In the same evening when the MDC officials go to report this matter to Filabusi Police Station and MDC Youth member Darlington Kadengu is shot in the presence of the police and the police yard by Andrew Langa the Zanu PF candidate.

- 2 MDC cars are deflected in the presence of the police by Zanu PF supporters
- 15 of MDC supporters who had gone to make a report are arrested and detained including the injured Kadengu who is denied access to medical attention.

2. 16 October 2002

A rally, which is booked at Filabusi Hall for the MDC Vice President, invaded by Zanu PF supporters who come to the venue and start giving out maize to the residents. As a results of this the MDC rally is cancelled.
- The 15 of MDC supporters who were arrested on the previous day are advised that they would appear at the magistrate court in Gwanda on the 17th of October 2002.

3. The 15 MDC supporters appear at Gwanda Magistrate court where they are released on a $5 000.00 bail each but are barred from entering Insiza Constituency until after the election.

4. 18 October 2002.

A number of MDC supporters are brutally attacked by Zanu PF supporters

a) The MDC candidate Siyabonga Malandu escapes an attack in Filabusi when a group of Zanu PF supportes attacked his convoy of 3 trucks. He survived by dashing into the police station where he seeks protection
b) Thomson Sibanda who was in one of the trucks is hit and fell from one of the trucks and is captured by Zanu PF militia and the youths.
c) In Avoca a shadow councillor for ward 6 Mark Mahewu Dube is brutally attacked by Zanu PF militia when they tried to force him to attend a Zanu PF rally in Avoca.
d) In the same area a house belonging to a Patricia Moyo a known MDC supporter is attacked and all the windows are smashed.
e) Aglon Matibone Dube is also brutally attacked by the same group of Zanu PF supporters.
f) Kembo Mohadi the Minster of Home Affairs and a Shoko who is the Officer in Charge of Filabusi call at MDC Command Centre in Silalatshanio where they make demands that the MDC flag which was on one of the campaign vehicles be removed and the Minister stated that he would not leave until the flag is removed. The Officer in Charge forcibly removes the flag.
g) Evening of the same day a truck of Zanu PF militia and youths attacks MDC command centre but they are repulsed by MDC youths.
h) Soon after the repulsion of the Zanu PF invaders riot squad comes in and attacks MDC supporters using tear gas.

5. 19 October 2002.

The police calls at the MDC command centre and demands that the District Chairman Mr Joel Mzwalili Ndlovu reveals the names of people who were present at the time Zanu PF invaded the command centre.

a) He refused and in the afternoon of the same he is arrested with 6 youths
b) Police carry out search on MDC command centre and confisticate our campaign material.

6. The MDC Vice President Gibson Sibanda addresses a successful rally at Avoca in the various parts of the constituency. In Inyozani Zanu PF supporters invade homestead belonging to MDC supporters resulting in one of the Zanu PF supporters getting injured. Mafios Ndhlovu an MDC supporter is accused of having axed the Zanu PF supporter and is thus arrested and detained at Fort Rixon police station.

7. 20th October 2002.

A rally which is scheduled for Inyozani is aborted because police refuse to grant MDC convoy right to turn to the rally venue by claiming that they have seen some Zanu PF officials going in the direction of rally venue and are thus trying to avoid political clashes. This is despite the fact that the MDC rally had been applied for a permission was granted.


8. 21 October 2002.

There is massive intimidation in the whole constituency and a lot of MDC supporters are assaulted in Ntute 5 of MDC supporters are arrested after having been accused by the police for having had a hand in the making of the so called arms of war that are purported to have been discovered at the command centre.

22 October .

Siyabonga Malandu survives an assassination attempt at Sidzive when he is attacked by Zanu PF thugs.

- He is initially denied the right to enter Insiza Constituency and is forced to go and get pass at West Nicholson Police Station.
- When he is in the constituency his convoy of two trucks is trailed by Zanu PF militia and CIO operatives who after Sidzive fire five shots in the direction of the MDC candidate with the intention of killing him.

23 October 2002.

ZANU PF Ministers who among other include Goche, Charumbira, Made, Chombo and Jonathan Moyo invade a rally, which is scheduled for Mahole and is supposed to be addressed by the MDC Vice President Gibson Sibanda.

- They get to the venue for the rally and start giving out fertiliser and maize handouts. In the same day our supporters within the area are assaulted. In the same day 7 MDC supporters who were arrested in Silatshani are denied bail.
- In the Fort Rixon area 5 MDC supporters at a road block and one of them by the name Roderick Mtyida is severely assaulted by the police and is forced to give in to demand that he should give a lot of inside information on MDC. He refused and as such he is severely beaten and he later escapes from the police. He is currently receiving medication at a local hospital in Bulawayo.


Polling Days

The network submitted 50 names of observers for the Insiza election observation programme. The number was drastically reduced to 20 by the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs without any reason being proffered. Eventually only 8 managed to be accredited due to logistical problems which the network encountered with ferrying observers who had been invited for accreditation from Insiza to Harare. In this respect communication links with the observers were not readily available. The accredited observers were from Zimbabwe Christian Students Movement, the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace, Zimbabwe Human Rights Organisation and Fellowship for Reconciliation in Zimbabwe.

To enable the network to observe the election with a limited number of observers the accredited observers conducted a mobile observation programme as against the customary static one. The observers were teamed up and deployed in zones representing particular areas. There were five teams which covered the Avoca, Filabusi, Gwatemba, Lubuze and Shangani areas. Each team would observe their particular zone or area and cover all the polling stations (which were an aggregate of 8) in an area.

In some areas MDC party agents were refused entry into polling stations but at least the party had one party agent in every polling station. The numbers of voters who was turned away was significant with 37 voters being turned away by 10:34 on the first day of polling at Umzingwane Primary School. 10 of them had no Identification cards and 27 did not have their names appearing on the voters’ roll. At Mleja Hall 47 voters had been turned away by 12:15 hrs on the first day whilst 55 experienced the same at Chief Sibasa Hall by 12:50 on the same day.
The network is not in possession of the voters’ roll which would have enabled verification of some of the reasons for turning away such a significant number of people. A very conspicuous feature of the election was low voter turnout.

Conclusion

The polling period was generally peaceful and few irregularities were recorded. However, the atmosphere was tense due to the presence of militia, marauding war veterans and the pre-election violence which was still vivid in peoples' subconscious. However, the MDC candidate was told not to enter the constituency on the second day of polling by the police under the pretext that his safety was not guaranteed.
Accessibility of polling was a problem to voters some of whom had to travel for a distance of 10km for them to be able to exercise their rights. A number of MDC youths were arrested for sloganeering near a polling station.

The issue of food shortage and hunger coupled with underdevelopment in the constituency was exploited so as to gain political mileage by the ruling party. This was regardless of the fact that food distribution is a humanitarian process which should be free from political sensitisation. People in the constituency voted for the availability of food as against governance issues.

Recommendations

It is recommended that an Independent Electoral Commission appointed by a select committee of Parliament should be set up which would conduct the electoral process and divorce elections from government machinery which reduces the element of partisanship as far as the conducting of electoral processes is concerned.

Accreditation of observers should be processed timeously so as to enable them to plan logically and observer the pre - election period.

The voters’ roll should be accessible to all stakeholders.

Polling stations have to be easily accessible to people intending to vote to enable them to exercise their rights and reduce low voter turnout.

Food distribution and rural development, as a humanitarian processes should be accorded the respect they deserve and not be used as a cheap campaign and electioneering gimmick. NGOs, in governance sector should link with development sector- civic issues.

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