ZIMCET says elections will not be free and fair

By Tererai Karimakwenda
09 January, 2008

A major civil organisation with representatives around the country has said Zimbabwe is not ready to conduct elections in March and there is much work to be done in order to gain the people’s trust. The Zimbabwe Civic Education Trust (Zimcet) has what it calls “peace officers” who work with local communities to educate and inform. They also deploy observers during elections. Zimcet director David Chimhini said at a time when the priority for most Zimbabweans is queuing for cash, there is no campaigning for elections taking place.

Chimhini expressed great concern about the Zimbabwe Election Commission, which has done all the pre-election preparations. Because the ZEC is run by known ZANU-PF cadres, the voters roll they compiled and the delimitation exercise they managed cannot be trusted. The ZEC is also not interested in educating voters.

Chimhini said we are just a few weeks away from the polls and still without a specific date. “The mediation process is still going on. When will we implement those agreements? And they must be tested. People need to know. It is common sense there isn’t enough time.”

The civil leader stressed that there is serious politicisation of food distribution by the ruling party and Zimcet is aware that only loyal ZANU-PF members are being given food, at a time when shortages are critical.

Chimhini said the government was mobilising war veterans to intimidate voters around the country. This does not create an atmosphere in which people feel safe. This is a major concern for Zimcet.

The group’s observations mirror conclusions reached by the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN), which were contained in a report released last week. ZESN said they deployed 120 observers around the country who conducted workshops with members of the public. Their report found major faults with the ZEC, the voter registration exercise and the compilation of the voters' roll.

Key civil organisations in the country have expressed no confidence in the electoral process so far. The situation on the ground remains volatile and the ruling party continues to victimise opposition members. Under these conditions, it is difficult to see how any elections held in March could be deemed free and fair.