A senior officer in the Zimbabwe National Army, Colonel Moffat Masabeya, has been appointed as the provincial elections officer for Manicaland.

Described as a die-hard Zanu-PF man, Colonel Masabeya lost in the 2005 primaries to represent the ruling party in the Chimanimani constituency, currently held by State Enterprises and Anti-corruption minister Samuel Undenge.

Based at Dangamvura’s Chikanga 3 Brigade battalion, Colonel Masabeya was one of the army officers who led an assault team of soldiers on to Charleswood Estate, which they eventually grabbed at gunpoint from Roy Bennett, the former MDC MP for Chimanimani.

Pishai Muchauraya, MDC spokesman for Manicaland, said their reaction was that of shock when they realised Colonel Masabeya was going to head the Zimbabwe Election Commission in the province. The MDC is accusing the government of putting in place its ‘rigging specialists’ ahead of the crucial parliamentary and presidential polls. The opposition says the playing field has not been levelled for elections and that the political climate is still volatile, eliminating any possibility of a peaceful voting exercise.

‘There is no doubt as to where he belongs. His heart is with Zanu-PF and he’s a senior serving member in the army, which is loyal to Robert Mugabe. He has participated in party primaries and we understand he is also in the provincial executive of Zanu-PF in Manicaland. So how can he be impartial in this situation? Asked Muchauraya.

Facing perhaps their biggest electoral challenge from the opposition MDC, Mugabe and his ruling party have become increasingly reliant on the military for political survival.
Mugabe continues to appoint serving and retired members of the armed forces to the ZEC, despite a provision in Constitutional Amendment number 18, barring the military, police and prison officers from any involvement in elections, beyond providing security.
Almost all elections in the country have been tainted by charges of electoral fraud and complaints over the role of the military in the running of the polls.