Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum Report — Of Stuffed ballots and Empty Stomachs 4. Journalists The printed media in Zimbabwe falls under the shadow of the draconian Access to Information and Privacy Act41, one of the key provisions of which is that all persons wishing to practice journalism in Zimbabwe must either be registered or accredited by the Media Information Commission. This Commission consists entirely of persons known to be sympathetic to ZANU(PF). Foreign journalists wishing to be accredited for the 2005 elections discovered that a serving Zimbabwe army major had been seconded to vet them. Major Anyway (sic) Mutambudzi, operating from the first floor of President Robert Mugabe’s Munhumutapa Building offices, carried out the process assisted by three other soldiers.42 Summary of Institutions and Personnel This then was the stage and personnel for the March 31st election. Voters who had been placed on the roll (perhaps) by the Registar-General (a ZANU(PF) stalwart) were set to vote in constituencies delimited by a Commission (staffed by ZANU(PF) stalwarts) at polling stations administered by persons (seconded by ZANU(PF) stalwarts) who would hand the results to Constituency Election Officers (seconded by ZANU(PF) stalwarts), working under the authority of the Chief Elections Officer appointed by a Commission (headed by a ZANU(PF) stalwart). In the event, many of these stalwarts were serving or former military personnel or serving members of the intelligence services. Postal votes were cast under the auspices of voters’ Commanding Officers and transmitted to the aforementioned Constituency Election Officers. All this was to be done under the watchful eye of monitors drawn from public service, Observers invited and accredited mostly by Government ministers or Government appointees and journalists accredited by the Government or Government appointees who could have their accreditation withdrawn at any time. This entire process was supervised by the Presidential appointees and ZANU(PF) stalwarts who comprise the ESC and ZEC respectively. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Act and Electoral Act thus create a situation where it is possible that the only actors in this process unfettered by ZANU(PF) might be the candidates and their election agents. 41 42 back on its findings to.” Also excluded were the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU); the South African Council of Churches (SACC)and a SADC Delegation of Lawyers tasked with assessing the Electoral Act. Chapter 10.27. See http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/mar11a_2005.html#link1 . 15