Violence,Coup Threats Wreck Chances of Free,Fair Elections

New evidence of rising harassment and violence against opponents of President Mugabe and his ruling party in the run-up to the March 29 general elections has been obtained by The Zimbabwean on Sunday.
Families of victims have spoken of beatings, murders and disappearances, in interviews conducted at a secret safe house with opposition supporters.One such victim, an activist for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, was on Thursday evicted from government houses in Ruwa by a machete-wielding Zanu (PF) mob ostensibly because she did not support Mugabe.A family spokesman said militants linked to the ruling Zanu (PF) party first plastered the MDC activist’s house with Zanu (PF) posters and later threw the family’s furniture out in the rain.In Rushinga, Edson Muwengwa, an MDC council candidate has been missing since February 15 in what the MDC and the Muwengwa family fear is an abduction following several deaths threats and an attempt on his life by Zanu (PF) supporters.In Bubi and Umguza, Zanu (PF) militants were reportedly harassing MDC supporters who signed nomination papers for electoral candidates for the opposition party.Opposition MDC parliamentary candidates Marvellous Khumalo, Pishai Muchauraya, Thabitha Khumalo have all been attacked or detained in the past two weeks in connection with door-to-door campaigns.Party spokesman Nelson Chamisa said the MDC has been receiving reports from all provinces of mounting violence, intimidation and arrests.Simba Makoni has also reported intimidation and assault of his independent candidates, with the Hatfield house of his Harare South parliamentary candidate, Joram Nago, attacked by a Zanu (PF) mob last week.At a secret location, opposition activists showed scars from attacks by what human rights groups say is an increasing number of pro-government militias.Abednico Bhebhe, a spokesman for the MDC (Mutambara), said his group had lodged a complaint with the electoral authorities, protesting intimidation of supporters.Intimidation is rampant and the conditions are not conducive for a free and fair election, he said.The Tsvangirai formation has appealed to the High Court for relief and filed a complaint with the Zimbabwe Election Commission’s multi-party liaison committee alleging official harassment of its candidates and supporters.Rainosa Tivatye, the United People’s Party’s Zengeza east parliamentary candidate was brutalized by a Zanu (PF) mob on Tuesday.Speaking in a bedside interview, Tivatye said he was stunned when police released the goon squad after briefly detaining them, with no charge preferred against them.In Uzumba, MDC parliamentary candidate Florence Machinga was kidnapped by a Zanu (PF) squad and harassed for close to four hours.The incident happened after a meeting with Zimbabwe Electoral Commission officials at Mutawatawa Growth Point. A truckload of ruling party thugs accosted Machinga and dragged her out of her vehicle, kicking and screaming.She was later taken to the police station on charges of tearing down Zanu (PF) posters. Police did not prefer any charges against her.
Despite the focus on the so-called war veterans, human rights groups say many other pro-government militias have been formed ahead of the general poll and they tolerate no dissent.The attacks on the innocent women and children in the absence of the men at work in the cities is an indication of the desperation of Zanu (PF) to win at any cost, one rural woman in Ngezi said, holding a young child with a scarred face.After 28 years in power, President Mugabe is accused by his opponents of orchestrating all the violence in order to save his political career.You must stand your ground, defend your situation, defend your family. We are entitled to do that, but please, we shouldn’t go assaulting people, he said at one of his rallies at the weekend.On Tuesday police cancelled MDC rallies in Makoni South ostensibly because Vice President Josph Msika had made last minute arrangements to address rallies in the same area. Pishai Muchauraya, the MDC parliamentary candidate in the area, said he was appalled by the prevarication on police’s part, and said he was challenging this in court.A series of repressive laws stifling civil liberties, a seemingly state-sponsored campaign of violence and intimidation, and the failure of international arbitration toThe more the ruling party sees it cannot get what it wants, the more desperate it has become, said Abednigo Bhebhe, an MDC lawmaker from the country’s southeast.
Bhebhe spoke as Zimbabwe police commissioner-general Augustine Chihuri on Thursday joined defence forces commander, General Constantine Chiwenga and head of prison services, Major Gen Paradzai Zimondi in making implicit threats of a coup in the event that Mugabe loses the election.We will not allow any puppets to take charge, Chihuri said at Police General Headquarters in Harare while seeing off nine police officers who are joining the United Nations peace-keeping mission in Liberia. I am happy that Zimbabweans are wise, he said in apparent reference to Tsvangirai and Makoni, who have both been labelled stooges of the West.