NATIONAL
TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE
WORKING GROUP
ZIMBABWE
An Urgent Call for Action!
NTJWG Pre-Election Transitional Justice Briefing
26 July 2018
Embracing the Imperatives of
Peace, Avoiding Violence
About this Briefing
In less than a week, Zimbabweans head for the polls in the first post-Mugabe election. It is a tightly
contested election pitting a post-Tsvangirai opposition coalition and a post-Mugabe ruling party.
Both the opposition and the ruling party are promising real change, equating the plebiscite to the
1980 elections that ushered in majority rule. As the momentum rises, the tension rises as well,
creating fears of social unrest and protest in the days ahead. This situation raises transitional justice
questions that we beg the nation to reflect on. In this briefing, we raise some red flags as we believe
we are on the road to a disastrous election that has a high violence potential in the aftermath. These
issues, we believe can only be ignored at great risk of instability.
Areas of Concern Ahead of the Elections
As we enter the 2018 harmonised elections,
Zimbabwe is walking a tight rope, a space that
is as fluid and fragile as it is unpredictable.
Several issues are of concern in as much as they
contribute to the fluidity of the situation in
Zimbabwe. We here raise red flags over the
following issues that, unless resolved, create a
real risk of instability and bloodshed in
Zimbabwe.
The Military Factor
First, the election is being held after the 17
November 2018 military coup which over
threw Robert Mugabe and ushered in a strong
military element in key government positions,
a situation that a good number of
Zimbabweans feel is a threat to democracy.
The military element, now in government, has
gone on to make pronouncements to the effect
that the upcoming elections are a conclusion of
the ‘operation restore legacy’. Such statements
when coupled with the admission by the
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission that 15% of
its staff are from the military,1 are cause for
concern. Human rights monitors have
reported an unprecedented military presence
in the communities. Despite the resemblance
of calmness and peace, these factors place the
upcoming election within the context of a
military operation which is a serious assault on
the integr ity of the election. S enior
1See report in the Newsday of 27 February 2018, available here https://www.newsday.co.zw/2018/02/soldiers-make-15-zec-staff/
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NTJWG PRE-ELECTION TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE BRIEFING – 26 JULY 2018