Zimbabwe: 2008 Post-harmonised election violence

Updated 14 July

Although the general strike called by Movement for Democratic Change-Tsvangirai (MDC-T) failed (see Rising tensions and legal manouevres), it resulted in increased tension between the conflicting parties and a ratchetting up of violence levels (Marawanyika 2008; AFP 2008). The MDC-T claimed that arrests of its members escalated after the stay away call and alleged that between 50 and 100 members, including an MP-elect and other office bearers had been detained; police responded by saying that the figures were lower than claimed and those that were arrested "barricaded streets and stoned buses that were transporting workers in the morning" (Guma 2008b).

Lance Guma (2008b) reported that on the day of the stay away: "There were however enough incidents to suggest a restive population. Angry youths in Harare threw a burning tyre into a bus, setting it alight, while others clashed with soldiers and police in the early hours of the morning", but that the situation calmed down later in the day. Doctors reported treating 157 victims of beatings and torture, while the MDC claimed that two of its members had been killed by ZANU-PF [Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front] supporters (AFP 2008; Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) 2008).

ZANU-PF's call for a recount of votes in certain constituencies (see The partial recount) was accompanied by claims that the opposition had bribed electoral officials (Guma 2008a). The consequence was the arrest of electoral officials. In a statement on 25 April, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR 2008a) reported that: "Since 29 March 2008, many presiding and polling officers have been arrested and accused of having been part of a plot to rig the elections in favour of candidates from the Movement for Democratic Change". In Masvinga Province, alone, 34 Presiding Officers were arrested, while "non state actors such as ZANU-PF officers and war veterans have attempted to extract 'confessions' from these hapless presiding officers" (ZLHR 2008a, see also Sibanda 2008).

Violence, aimed at opposition members, civil society actors and the population in general, continued to escalate. According to AFP (2008): "Diplomatic sources told AFP that Mugabe's so-called war veterans and other loyal supporters of his ruling ZANU-PF party had been on the march, targeting certain opposition areas with intimidation and beatings. In further unrest, a farmers union said more than 130 white farmers had been driven off their land by Mugabe supporters, and around 30 had not been able to return to their farms". ZESN reported that its national election observers were increasingly the victims of harassment, threats and assault by ZANU PF supporters, especially in Mashonaland East and West (ZESN 2008).

In a press release, ZLHR (2008b) reported:

Since 14 April 2008, at least 150 people have been arrested and are currently detained in custody at Harare Central police station alone. The recent arrests and continuing violations of fundamental rights and freedoms have been exacerbated by state actors who are working hand-in-hand with the ruling ZANU PF party militia to unleash their coercive apparatus on an innocent electorate. This campaign of terror has been widespread across the country and is being perpetrated against any person who is suspected to have cast their vote against the ruling party, as well as their families.

They went on to detail cases of abduction, torture and inhuman and degrading treatment of people illegally detained "by members of the military (in uniform and plain clothes), as well as the ZANU PF youth and militia in Budiriro, Mabvuku, Mutoko, St Mary's and Epworth and said that similar events had occurred in Bikita, Nyanga North, Gokwe, Mudzi, Chegutu and Mt Darwin. In Harare, they said, "members of the army and ZANU PF youths have cast a dragnet in the streets of most of the high density suburbs around Harare. The arrests have been indiscriminate, based on political affiliation and in most instances where the people are remotely associated or are suspected of being associated with the Movement for Democratic Change".

References

AFP 2008 "Opposition supporters arrested in Zimbabwe crackdown", 16 April, [www] http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iKEE9iSaONx9OtTI0en3dLxGI36Q [opens new window] (accessed 16 Apr 2008).

GUMA, L 2008a "Judge defers ruling on MDC demand for election results", SW Radio Africa, 6 April, [www] http://www.swradioafrica.com/news060408/judge060408.htm [opens new window] (accessed 17 Apr 2008).

GUMA, L 2008b "MDC Say Over 50 Arrested in Stayaway Crackdown", SW Radio Africa, 16 April, [www] http://www.swradioafrica.com/news060408/judge060408.htm [opens new window] (accessed 16 Apr 2008).

MARAWANYIKA, G 2008 "Tsvangirai warms to run-off as strike flops", Mail & Guardian, 15 April, [www] http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=337067&area=/ breaking_news/breaking_news__africa/ [opens new window] (accessed 15 Apr 2008).

SIBANDA, N 2008 "Union says teachers forced to admit electoral fraud", ZimOnline, 29 April, [www] http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=3098 [opens new window] (accessed 29 Apr 2008).

ZADHR 2008 "Statement on upsurge in cases of organized violence and torture", 15 April, [www] http://www.kubatana.net/html/archive/hr/080418zadhr.asp?sector=ELEC [opens new window] (accessed 21 April 2008).

ZESN 2008 "Local Observers Targeted", 16 April.

ZLHR 2008a "Continued Arrests and Harassment of Election Officers", 25 April.

ZLHR 2008b "Violent Retributive Action against Innocent Zimbabweans by State Agents on the Increase", 17 April, [www] http://www.kubatana.net/html/archive/hr/080417zlhr.asp?sector=ELEC [opens new window] (accessed 21 April 2008).