society activists”.10 At the same time, civil society organisations and international organisations report also of “extrajudicial executions, torture, beatings and abductions—the vast majority committed by supporters of the ruling party or government agents” .11 These political challenges were reported to the SADC and international community. The years preceding to the 2008 elections were characterised by relentless intimidation of citizens by an intolerant regime. In the same breath the economy essentially collapsed and the popularity of the MDC grew. As Human rights Watch commented, “Attacks on opposition politicians, civil society activists and journalists, use of unnecessary or excessive force by police forces in quelling peaceful demonstrations, and the use of repressive legislation have remained serious human rights concerns”12. So many things happened from 2007 to June 2008. However, the pre-March 2008 elections conditions were comparatively less violent. What became a serious cause for concern were “the serious flaws that marked those elections and the …partisan and inadequately prepared electoral commission, concerns about pre-poll rigging, unequal access to the state media, and government restrictions on the rights to freedom of association, assembly and expression…ZANU-PF supporters were implicated in serious incidents of violence and intimidation against MDC activists, and the use of food and agricultural inputs as political tools against the opposition” Human Rights Watch. 2008). Despite the violence, ZANU-PF lost both in the House of Assembly and presidential elections, but the MDC-T however failed to secure the constitutional 50+1% and a run off was called in terms of the law. Zimbabwe Electoral Commission set the election on 27 June 2008 and ZANU PF put in motion a military style Operation Makavhotera Papi? (Where did you place your vote?). The countryside was cordoned off, torture bases set up, and ZANU-PF supporters, government officials, “war veterans” and state security forces conducted brutal daily “re-education” meetings in which they beat and at times tortured local residents to force them to denounce the MDC and swear allegiance to ZANU-PF. Eldred Masunungure writes “by all accounts, the inter-election period was one of the most traumatic and abnormal political situations in the country”. Richard Joseph’s observation in February 2008 that “the notion of an electoral process in Zimbabwe with Mugabe at the controls can only be described as Orwellian” was more apt in respect of the run-off election. Terence Ranger sums up the ‘abnormal’ period: 10 Human Rights Watch (2008) ibid p11 Human Rights Watch (2008), ibid p10. 12 Human Rights Watch (2008), ibid p11. 11 4