The killing of six unarmed civilians by Zimbabwe's military on 1 August, two days after polling in the country's general elections, was a huge setback for an otherwise well-laid plan by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to push a narrative that his election victory would herald the dawn of a new dispensation.
The Mnangagwa administration, it was promised, would increase democratic space and be characterised by the mantra 'Zimbabwe is open for business'. Before the tragedy, the ZANU-PF charm offensive seemed to be working. The electoral period up to voting day had been largely free of violence and intimidation, with increased room for the opposition to campaign countrywide - all in stark contrast to elections conducted during the 37 years of Robert Mugabe's rule.
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