67% of reports indicated that citizens’ freedom of movement had been interfered with. The reports indicated that as regards travelling within the constituency, interference was mainly undertaken by Zanu PF supporters [37%], but the reports also mentioned the police [29%], the militia [29%], the CIO [13%], and the army [7%]. This corresponds to the frequent mention in the press of ZanuPF supporters talking about creating “no-go” zones for the MDC, as well as in the reports of other independent monitoring bodies 1. 54% OF THE REPORTS SHOWED THAT THERE WAS INTERFERENCE WITH TRAVELLING OUT OF THE CONSTITUENCY WITH THE SAME GROUPS AS ABOVE BEING SAID TO BE RESPONSIBLE, WITH THE FIGURES SHOWN IN TABLE 4 BELOW. THERE WERE REPORTS OF NEW RESIDENTS MOVING INTO THE CONSTITUENCIES. THIS WAS IN 32% OF THE REPORTS, WITH 21% INDICATING THAT THESE NEW RESIDENTS WERE MILITIA AND 16% THAT THESE WERE ALLEGED VOTERS. Interference with the freedom of expression THE REPORTS CONCERNING INTERFERENCE WITH THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION WERE SERIOUS, WITH 89% OF THE REPORTS ALLEGING THAT CITIZENS COULD NOT EXPRESS THEMSELVES FREELY OR READ THE NEWSPAPERS OF THEIR CHOICE. THIS LACK OF FREEDOM HARDLY AFFECTED ZANUPF SUPPORTERS [9%], BUT SEEMED TO BE STRONGLY THE CASE FOR THE MDC [59%], CIVICS [26%], AND OTHER ORDINARY PEOPLE [17%]. Fear of expressing one’s political opinion in public does not correspond to the kind of electoral climate that is “free”, and such fears by ordinary Zimbabwe citizens have been amply confirmed in the past, and even the recent past, by public opinion surveys. 86% of the reports indicated that citizens were not able to freely express themselves. This is totally unacceptable as freedom of expression is one of the basic freedoms that citizens require especially during a pre election period. 58% of reports alleged that citizens were unable to read newspapers of their choice, which was alleged to affect the MDC and ordinary citizens more than ZanuPF members as shown in Table 4. The main reason given for this is that there is no daily alternative to the state controlled Herald. Zanu PF supporters were reported the group interfering with this freedom the most [49%], the MDC [10], civics and others were said to be also involved, [3%] each. TABLE 5 INTERFERENCE WITH FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: PEOPLE UNABLE TO READ NEWSPAPERS OF THEIR CHOICE. Victims % OF REPORTS ZANUPF 9 MDC 39 CIVICS 13 OTHER 16 MORE SERIOUS THAN FEARS OF EXPRESSING VIEWS IN PUBLIC WERE THE REPORTS OF CITIZENS BEING FORCED TO CHANT PARTY POLITICAL SLOGANS, AND THIS SHOULD BE READ TOGETHER WITH REPORTS OF CITIZENS BEING COERCED TO ATTEND MEETINGS. ZANUPF SUPPORTERS [46%]WERE REPORTED TO BE THE MAJOR CULPRITS, WITH THE MDC [10%] AND CIVICS [3%] REPORTED TO A LESSER EXTENT. THIS WAS INDICATED IN 61% OF REPORTS 1 See ZPP (2005), Fortnightly Monitoring Report, 1-2 Week March, HARARE: ZIMBABWE PEACE PROJECT. National Constitutional Assembly: THE 2005 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION. FLAWED, UNFREE AND UNFAIR!