Observer teams say it is government’s duty to stop violence

By Tichaona Sibanda
18 June 2008

The head of an African observer mission in the country has warned that he will not endorse next week’s presidential run-off if current levels of violence continue.

Marwick Khumalo told journalists in Harare his team had received horrendous reports of attacks, and that the political environment was not conducive to a free poll.

Khumalo, head of the Pan-African Parliamentary observers, said it was the government’s responsibility to stop the violence which erupted after the first round vote.

He said it was very difficult for him to judge the degree of the violence in terms of whether it’s decreased or it has escalated. Khumalo’s comments were echoed by South Africa’s ruling ANC leader Jacob Zuma who said he did not expect a free presidential election run-off in Zimbabwe.

Zuma, has taken a much tougher line on Zimbabwe than President Thabo Mbeki, and on Wednesday used his bluntest language to date on the election.

“I think we’ll be lucky if we have a free election,” Zuma said. When asked if he thought the vote would be fair, Zuma replied, “I don’t think so.”

Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga has once again called on Robert Mugabe to step down from office. He said the vote had already been rigged and Zimbabwe was ‘an eyesore’.

Over 60 MDC activists have reportedly been killed since the state sponsored violence began soon after the March 29th elections. Almost 50 000 villagers from areas that voted for the MDC have also been displaced while at least 3000 party activists are currently hospitalised

Professor Elphas Mukonoweshuro, the MDC secretary for International Affairs described the whole country as under siege from the Zanu-PF regime. In certain areas, he added, the situation resembled a war zone where bands of armed militias and soldiers were terrorising people.