2.2 ZanuPF
Mobilising
“We have all your details so if you
vote otherwise, we will find out”
ZanuPF dominated political activity in eight of the ten
provinces and the party, which is on a mass
mobilization exercise, was responsible for coercing
citizens to be part of its low level structures across the
country. The party has openly announced that it is
creating a register of ‘party supporters’.
Observations by ZPP show that the party is using its
access to the food aid distribution chain to coerce
citizens to join or be left out of the food aid
distribution.
The party is also going door to door collecting
information such as mobile phone numbers, ID
numbers and election registration numbers.
As has become the norm, the party is also using
traditional leaders to threaten villagers and this was
quite prevalent in Matabeleland North and
Mashonaland East.
ZIMBABWE PEACE PROJECT
MONTHLY MONITORING REPORT
JULY 2021
What does this mean?
A look back at previous elections shows that mainly in
rural areas, there is a systematic infusion of a culture of
fear such that by 2023, many will not be able to openly
express themselves politically.
This is also a system that leads to a situation where
traditional leaders and local Zanu PF leaders have a list
of all the people in villages and they ‘escort’ people to
polling stations under strict instructions that everyone
is supposed to vote for ZanuPF.
“We have all your details so if you vote otherwise, we
will find out,” that is a phrase that has been used in
previous elections and with where things are going, we
are back to that again.
In addition to this, by collecting details like mobile
phone numbers of people in urban areas, ZanuPF can
use this as a useful database to even access people via
SMSes as happened in the 2018 election.
Discrimination at food aid points and handing out of
items by ZanuPF officials can in a subtle way, be a form
of vote-buying as many of these beneficiaries are so
vulnerable and living in poverty that food can act as a
7
political tool.