The Electoral Act permits the ZEC and the ESC to second the uniformed services—the defense forces, the prisons service, and the police—to perform crucial tasks in the election. The police and the army have been actively or tacitly involved in statesponsored violence in the previous two national elections. Their participation in the election processes is likely to intimidate voters. The Electoral Act also provides for an Electoral Court to hear and determine election petitions, among other matters. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, after consultation with the Judge President of the High Court, must appoint at least one High Court judge to preside over the Electoral Court. Appeals must be determined within six months from the date of lodging the appeal. The latter provision is welcome, especially because the courts deliberately stalled the opposition party’s petitions arising from the 2000 election. However, the judiciary is no longer viewed as partisan. The Chief Justice and the Judge President are reportedly ruling party supporters, as are all but one Supreme Court judge and most of the High Court judges. Glossary of Acronyms AIPPA Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act CID Criminal Investigation Department CIO Central Intelligence Organization COSATU Congress of South African Trade Unions ESC Electoral Supervisory Commission IRIN UN OCHA Integrated Regional Information Network MDC Movement for Democratic Change MIC Media and Information Commission MISA Media Institute of Southern Africa MMPZ Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe MOA Miscellaneous Offences Act POSA Public Order and Security Act SADC Southern African Development Community ZEC Zimbabwe Electoral Commission ZANU PF Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front ZBC Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation ZBH Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings 35