18 June 2008
analysis
Johannesburg — The degree of freedom and fairness in Zimbabwe's presidential election on 27 June will be judged according to a 10-point guideline enshrined in the Principles for Conducting Democratic Elections of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
IRIN, using the SADC checklist of democratic principles, has asked analysts to ascertain how Zimbabwe is measuring up to its obligations as a member of the 14-member regional organisation.
The treaty establishing SADC, signed in 1992 in Windhoek, capital of Namibia, states: "The Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation provides that SADC shall 'Promote the development of democratic institutions and practices within the territories of State Parties and encourage the observance of universal human rights as provided for in the Charter and Conventions of the Organization of African Unity (African Union) and the United Nations.'"
According to the treaty, "SADC member states shall adhere to the following principles in the conduct of democratic elections:"
1. Full participation of the citizens in the political process
• 29 March ZANU-PF loses control of parliament for the first time since independence in 1980
• A SADC observer team acknowledges concerns with the pre-election climate, but pronounces the poll credible
• ZANU-PF militants launch "Operation Mavhoterapapi" (Who did you vote for?) - driving perceived opposition supporters from their homes. Voters can only cast their ballots where they are registered.
"There is no doubt that there is little, if any, participation of citizens in the election process because of the political violence in that country [Zimbabwe]," Khabele Matlosa, research director of the Electoral Institute of Southern Africa, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) promoting credible elections and democratic practices in Africa, told IRIN.
"We know for a fact that most of the violence unleashed is by government militias and thousands of people have been displaced, and plus or minus 60 people killed. There is a climate of fear and people are afraid of any type of participation because of the violence. Citizens' participation is at its lowest ebb ever."
Joseph Kurebwa, head of the University of Zimbabwe's politics and administration department, told IRIN: "The nature of politics in Zimbabwe is that anyone is free to be a member of any political party of their choice, and also to not participate in politics if they so wish.
"The 'political violence' since 29 March is a result of differences between people, and these people are using the opportunity to settle old scores. There are very few incidents which would pass as political violence," he maintained.
Kurebwa offered to stand as a candidate for ZANU-PF in the recent parliamentary elections, but was not selected by the party at its primaries.
2. Freedom of association
4 June - Government suspends operations of all NGOs, claiming they are fronts for foreign powers.
5 May - More than 50 supporters of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA), are beaten by police in the second city, Bulawayo, as they march to protest political violence.
25 April - Some 400 people seeking refuge from alleged state-sponsored violence are arrested at MDC headquarters in Harare
"Freedom of association is allowed by the constitution, and political parties are formed and allowed to contest elections," said Matlosa, who observed the 29 March election.
"In practice they [opposition parties and civil society organisations] are restricted heavily by state actions; the government gives with one hand and takes away with the other. It is not just political parties, but also NGOs. The Zimbabwe Electoral Support Network and the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights play a very important role, but are not allowed political space," he commented.
Kurebwa said, "There is freedom of association; people of different political affiliations have been acting together with each other at various levels."
3. Political tolerance
15 June - President Robert Mugabe says: "Anyone who seeks to undermine our land reform programme, itself the bedrock of our politics from time immemorial, seeks and gets war"
2 May - UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, condemns killings of opposition activists and harassment of human rights defenders
"There is no political tolerance; the society is so polarised. The ruling party [ZANU-PF] does not tolerate political opposition; they [the government] see the opposition as part of a conspiracy unleashed by the West," Matlosa said.
"The level of political tolerance is very low ... [Zimbabwe's] security chiefs made it very clear publicly [before the 29 March election] that they would not accept any result that did not favour the incumbent [President Robert Mugabe]. This is the highest level of political intolerance," Matlosa commented.
In contrast Kurebwa maintained that "The ruling party accepts that people should have as many different viewpoints as possible. The government has not restricted this in any way."
4. Regular intervals for elections as provided for by the respective National Constitutions
"Elections are held regularly, although in a sense the 29 March election was a snap election. The ruling party called elections without consulting the opposition parties or President Thabo Mbeki [appointed by SADC to mediate between the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change party and ZANU-PF]", Matlosa said.
"We excel on that score," Kurebwa noted.
5. Equal opportunity for all political parties to access state media
• The government controls all domestic radio and television stations
• State media offered space to the opposition in the run-up to the March poll. That space has since closed
"No, there is no equal opportunity for all political parties to access the state media," Matlosa said. "The state media are monopolised by ZANU-PF and opposition parties have to rely on private media. In the 29 March elections, once SADC deployed observers in Zimbabwe, it was only then that the opposition was given opportunities on state media's radio and television services."
Kurebwa said, "The Broadcast Services Act and other pieces of legislation have given the opposition parties ample opportunity to air their views through media owned by the state."
6. Equal opportunity to exercise the right to vote and be voted for
14 June - MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai is detained for the third time in a week
12 June - MDC secretary-general Tendai Biti is arrested on treason and electoral law infringement charges
"Zimbabwe's election laws provide for that, but in practice it is a different story. The present environment is so poisoned in the country that even for the leader of the opposition [Morgan Tsvangirai] - who has been arrested four or five times - it is extremely difficult for him to even campaign," Matlosa pointed out.
"Legally, the voting age is 18 years old and people over 18 can also stand for parliament," Kurebwa said.
"When people commit offences, or the police believe there are grounds to suspect that someone is about to commit an offence, they can be arrested. This does not interfere with the voter or someone standing as a candidate," Kurebwa responded.
7. Independence of judiciary and impartiality of the electoral institutions
• ZEC is heavily criticised for the delay in releasing the election results, especially the presidential poll
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