Source: Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN)
The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) is unreservedly denouncing all acts of political violence, intimidation, harassment of voters, candidates and their supporters. This call is being made following disturbing report that was received by ZESN today of the physical assault on the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) candidate for Bikita West parliamentary by-election, Madock Chivasa, and his election agent, Thomas Mudzamiri.
ZESN observers in Bikita West have confirmed this incident and also alleged that one of the people who assaulted Chivasa and Mudzamira fired a gunshot in the air. Chivasa is said to have broken an arm and Mudzamira sustained head injuries.
“As ZESN, we call all political parties and their supporters campaigning in Bikita West to strongly condemn any form of violence and desist from assaulting and harassing people. We urge the Police and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission to investigate these incidents and bring all perpetrators to book”, said the Mrs Rindai Chipfunde Vava, ZESN Director. ZESN also reiterates its call for the setting up of a Special Investigative Committee comprising the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) and Police whenever elections are proclaimed to expedite the investigation and prosecution of human rights and other violations during electoral periods.
In addition, ZESN is concerned by reports of partisan activities by traditional leaders. The partisan involvement of the traditional leaders in furthering the interests of a political party is in violation of Section 281 (2) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe which states that; “Traditional leaders must not in any way participate in partisan politics……, act in a partisan manner or further the interests of any political party….”.
ZESN therefore calls upon ZEC, the ZHRC and the police to institute investigations into the violence incident, vote buying and intimidation reports in Bikita West and to ensure remaining campaigning days are peaceful.
ZESN is committed to the promotion of democratic electoral processes in Zimbabwe and deplores any further assault, harassment, and intimidation, post-election retribution in the Bikita West Constituency or any election in Zimbabwe. ZESN urges all voters in Bikita West to democratically vote freely, peacefully in the forth-coming by-election and to say NO to intimidation and violent campaigns.
As part of its mandate to gather and disseminate credible electoral information, ZESN will be releasing regular information updates throughout the entire polling process in Bikita West by-election. ZESN is deploying 33 observers in the by-election.
Citizens and interested stakeholders can receive updates and participate on the following ZESN information outlets:
Source: Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN)