Zimbabwe has always been a bit of a political basket case, and probably always will be. Now is no exception, as the country goes through the motions of an election.
A fair election? Not so much. Although many people breathed a secret sigh of relief at the 2017 coup d'état that delivered the country from the predations and corruption of long-time dictator Robert Mugabe, it turns out that his successor, Emerson Mnangagwa, is even worse, and does not intend to risk handing over power smany time soon (and will certainly not let a paltry election get in his way).
The elections are being held on August 23rd, but Managagwa's ZANU-PF party is using every intimidation tactic in the book to ensure that the status quo us maintained. The opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party has suffered violence and harrassment since the election campaigns began. One of its supporters was stoned to death on his way to a rally for God's sake! Candidates have been attacked or arrested, and a new "law" allows for any critics of the government to be prosecuted for "undermining the country".
Voters do not even want the CCC to hold rallies in their towns and villages lest they be victimized by government supporters or by the pro-government army/police force. Bribery is also going on. People have sharp, unpleasant memories of the last election in 2018, when assaults, rapes, torture and abduction by government supporters were rife. Things are no better now, and Amnesty International says that, "Over the past five years, the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly have been relentlessly suppressed".
Polls suggest that the CCC would win an election handily were it free and fair. But it will take a brave voter to defy the government intimidation on August 23rd.
No comments:
Post a Comment