CHAPTER 3 3.0. 3.1. THE CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING TO THE EVENTS OF THE 1ST OF AUGUST 2018 AND THE ACTORS IN THE PROTESTS The 2018 Pre-election events In order to gain a clear understanding of the events of the 1st of August 2018, the Commission analysed the circumstances that took place before the elections, on the polling day and immediately after the Election Day. According to the evidence presented to the Commission by various witnesses, the pre-election period was peaceful. Political parties peacefully campaigned through rallies and other activities. However, on the basis of evidence heard, while peace prevailed during the pre-election period, certain utterances by leaders of the MDC Alliance, as shown below, were of concern to the Commission. Though there were several parties contesting in the elections, it was clear that ZANU PF and MDC Alliance were the main contesting parties. The main challengers to the presidency were incumbent President ED Mnangagwa of ZANU PF and Advocate Nelson Chamisa, the leader of the MDC Alliance. The political parties had distinct messages in the rallies that they conducted. For the purposes of the Commission’s inquiry, the relevant key features of the MDC Alliance leaders’ messages during the election campaign, are summed up in the following: 12 12