Army resolves to help Mugabe win elections
By Tererai Karimakwenda
23 July, 2007

There is growing concern that Robert Mugabe is planning to rig yet another election after reports that the army was going to help him secure victory. According to the UK Sunday Telegraph, the army chiefs met last week to discuss their role, after Mugabe promised earlier this month that he would step down after the elections if they helped him to win and shame "Western governments bent on re-occupying us." The paper quotes a senior officer who was allegedly at the meeting as saying the generals agreed the army would have a "heavy" presence at polling stations. They would also ‘assist’ the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission with counting the votes.

In theory Mugabe has been negotiating with the opposition as part of the regional initiative mediated by South Africa’s president Thabo Mbeki, which is to lead to free and fair elections in Zimbabwe. But Mugabe has already conducted the voter registration exercise using the old system controlled by his ruling party. Mbeki told reporters on Sunday that only free and fair elections next year will produce a government capable of bringing economic recovery to Zimbabwe. He said: "You must have elections in Zimbabwe that are free and fair and therefore produce a government that will be accepted by all the people of Zimbabwe as a legitimate government emerging out of a democratic process."

The Zimbabwe Exiles Forum (ZEF), which helps Zimbabwean refugees in South Africa, said they applaud President Mbeki for his statement because it echoed what most Zimbabweans have been calling for all along. But ZEF director Gabriel Shumba said he was not entirely happy for several reasons. Shumba said Mbeki did not address the subject of the estimated 5 million Zimbabweans living in exile. He said: “If the diaspora does not have a voice then the elections cannot be considered free and fair.”

Shumba also expressed hope that Mbeki would ensure that SADC guidelines are followed during the elections. This includes allowing all media to operate in the country and ensuring rights to freedom of assembly for the opposition and civic groups. He also warned that the participation of the army in elections would not be acceptable. “Zimbabweans know the bias associated with our army and police”, said Shumba.