cases noted for September, Zanu PF, in a bid to increase its membership, has
embarked on a wide scale exercise of selling electronic cards for members. In many
instances, members of the public including known opposition activists are forced to buy
the membership cards. And in typical coercive fashion, party membership cards are
requested at events and occasions strategically meant to weed out, intimidate, exclude,
and altogether disadvantage members of the opposition. This has been documented as
occurring for example when registering for inputs, signing up for residential stands, to get
employment or other opportunities. In a country that does not have many opportunities for
its citizens and one that relies mostly on agriculture for the livelihoods of the majority of its
people, these unscrupulous tactics to disenfranchise often have the effect of near
starvation for those targeted.
Last month saw national assembly by-elections held in Marondera Central, Mbire and
Epworth. The by-elections, which were held on 19 September, were to replace Zanu PF
legislators, Ray Kaukonde and David Butau, who were fingered, alongside former vice
president Mujuru, in a plot to oust President Robert Mugabe; while in Epworth the byelections were to replace the late Member of Parliament (MP) Amos Midzi, who passed on
in June.
Though the by-elections were by and large declared free and fair, some irregularities were
reported. In Marondera Central, voter intimidation was rife. The Zanu PF candidate,
Lawrence Katsiru, made threats on a number of occasions and deployed a team of party
officials to record serial numbers of those who had voted in a bid to instil fear in people
and ensure they voted for him. Campaign materials for other candidates were destroyed
and taken down across the constituency. The skewed playing field resulted in Katsiru
winning in a landslide victory. In the other two constituencies, Epworth and Mbire,
reported irregularities included some voters’ names missing on the voters’ registers, police
participation at polling stations where a number of people were being assisted to vote, as
well as campaigns by some members of the ruling party within 100 metres of polling
activity, which is prohibited by the elections rules and regulations.
The coming onto the scene of the, as yet shadowy People First party - which Mujuru is
speculated to be fronting though she is yet to confirm this herself - also triggered some
violent reactions from state agents, particularly in Tafara, where following a rally by ousted
Zanu PF cadre, Ray Kaukonde, on behalf of this party, police descended in the area later
that evening and again a few days later and beat up some people randomly. Although
buzz around it has already started building up, it is useful to note that the People First party
is yet to be officially launched.
Also disturbing in incidents recorded for September is the encroaching of politics on
religion and vice versa where some people are finding themselves being politically
targeted in their churches. Yet, all things being equal, churches are ideally supposed to
offer refuge and comfort. This is on the one hand. On the other hand, some members of
the clergy are using the pulpit to promote parties of choice over and above others at the
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