1. Introduction.
In the immediate aftermath of their defeat in the 2008 harmonised elections in Zimbabwe,
shocked ZANU PF politicians are reported to have approached the “opposition” MDC with
tentative proposals for a unity government. The inability of ZANU PF to accept and absorb its
defeat is manifested in the fact their proposals insisted that Mugabe retain the presidency –
the real location of power in Zimbabwe. When this proposal was rejected outright by the
MDC, ZANU PF abruptly abandoned the idea of a unity government, opting for a run off in the
Presidential Election and the expectation of emerging victorious after a bloody and vicious
campaign of intimidation in those areas and against those people that had supported the
MDC in the 29 March election. This document, and the factual assertions herein, is based on
reports of the ensuing violence received from civic organisations and those published in the
press.1 These reports are available as an independent annexure on request from the Forum.
2. Background.
The ruling party in Zimbabwe has always refused to accept the core democratic principle that
Zimbabweans have the right freely to choose whom to elect into government. It believes that
only it has the right to govern Zimbabwe and characterises all its opponents as sell-outs and
lackeys of the West.
Consistent with this belief, the ruling party previously has displayed complete intolerance of
opposition and dissent and has set out to smash all opposition, using the state security
apparatus for the purpose. A highly politicised police force has been employed as one of its
main instruments of repression, backed up by the intelligence service (the CIO) and the
army.2
Although ZANU PF goes through the motions of holding elections, it is prepared to do
whatever is necessary to ensure that it will win these elections. During his election campaign
ahead of the March 2008 elections President Mugabe said he regarded the campaign as a war
against the opposition. In past election campaigns he has often used such bellicose language.
Speaking at his party’s congress in 2002 he is reported as having said:
1
The basis for the assertion that Zanu PF lost both the significant elections – Presidential and House of Assembly –
are given in a recent report. See Idasa(2008), ZIMBABWE ELECTIONS 2008. Examining The Popular and Presidential
Choice - Hiding or Run Off? SITO [IDASA]: PRETORIA.
2
See Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (2003), Torture by State Agents in Zimbabwe: January 2001 to August
2002, HARARE: ZIMBABWE HUMAN RIGHTS NGO FORUM; Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (2006), Who
Guards the Guards? Violations by Law Enforcement Agencies in Zimbabwe, 2000 to 2006, December 2006, HARARE:
ZIMBABWE HUMAN RIGHTS NGO FORUM; Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (2007), At Best a Falsehood, At
Worst a Lie? Shooting Oneself in the Foot? Comments on the Zimbabwe Republic Police Report “Opposition Politics in
Zimbabwe. A Trail of Violence. June 2007. HARARE: ZIMBABWE HUMAN RIGHTS NGO FORUM.
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