Our Bulawayo correspondent Lionel Saungweme says officials from the registrar-general’s office are still turning away potential voters, demanding proof of residence. Despite assurances from the Ministry of Home Affairs that such requirements have been waivered, officials conducting the exercise insist no official communication has been circulated to alert them of the new changes.
Njerama Phiri is a 59 year-old grandmother who was born in Zvishavane to parents who immigrated to Zimbabwe in the 1920’s. Being a Zimbabwean, Phiri says it is both disheartening and sad that people in her situation are considered ‘aliens’ and face serious bottlenecks to acquire citizenship to allow them to vote.
Abednico Bhebhe, the deputy national organising secretary of the MDC-T, has called upon the Zim Electoral Commission to take to task individuals or groups that use hate speech during public gatherings. Bhebhe accuses ZANU PF Mines Minister Obert Mpofu of going around the Matabeleland region using ugly and demeaning speech that could spark violence among political opponents.
UK based political commentator Matthew Nyashanu recently went back on a visit to Zimbabwe. He says the culture of fear and impunity still exists, but the majority of the electorate are adamant they will not vote for any party based on political rhetoric, but only on good governance and the rule of law.
The deputy national organising secretary of the MDC-T Abednico Bhebhe says the party will not engage in any form of imposition of candidates, in the election of individuals to fly the party’s flag in the forthcoming harmonized polls.
Political analyst Dr Maxwell Shumba believes this year’s elections will be decided by the number of supporters each political party has managed to register as voters. Shumba says he thinks violence may not be the critical factor in the harmonized poll. But getting as many people on the voters’ roll will be key and crucial.
Violet Gonda stands in for Tichaona Sibanda and brings you an interview with Jeffrey Smith, an advocacy officer at the Washington DC based Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. Smith recently visited Zimbabwe with a high powered delegation that included renowned human rights activists Kerry Kennedy and actress Alfre Woodard. Smith says the visit was to assess the human rights situation in Zimbabwe, and identify ways to assist the country’s stakeholders to ensure the active participation of civil society in a peaceful election.
Blessing Vava, the NCA spokesman, says the MDC-T are now behaving like cry babies after realizing that ZANU PF, with the help of ZEC, manipulated the Yes vote figures in the just ended referendum. He says this is how Robert Mugabe’s party will rig the forthcoming general elections.
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition director Mcdonald Lewanika has warned that the political environment in the country is toxic and slowly degenerating to the levels that marred the 2008 poll.
Jaison Matewu, an aspiring MDC-T parliamentary candidate for Buhera West in Manicaland province, says political leaders in the inclusive government must reaffirm their commitment to a peaceful and tolerant election campaign and to appeal to their supporters to do the same.
