during the month of August that surpass any other month in the run up to the elections. In interviews with victims of the post election violence it is evident that reprisals were also against members of the G-40 faction in Zanu PF. Zanu PF and members of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) labelled as ‘rogue’ by the ZNA itself were responsible for perpetrating most of the violations. A high number of violations were also reported in Manicaland and Mashonaland East and West. Masvingo had a low number of violations as was Matebeleland region as well as the Midlands. It is not clear why some provinces had more violations recorded than others although the discrimination in the distribution of food affected all provinces regardless. Observations The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) extensively reported on widespread intimidation and harassment used in the run up to the elections. There were threats of using the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) to sniff out the dissenting, the intricate system of Dande Mutande (Spiderweb), the distribution of food and agricultural inputs which forced people to make their choices with their tummies against humanitarian standards culminating in suspect assisted voting, and the ‘paddocking’ of villagers to vote in a certain way with the assistance of traditional leaders and other ruling party functionaries. Notwithstanding, these reports some of which were reported to the police the impression of the different election observers were varied. Police responded to some of the reports but a good number of citizens still felt unsafe making police reports and continuing to live in the same communities. While the 2018 elections could have many boxes ticked as compared to past polls they still faced numerous challenges that made them short of being free and fair. The post election phase was fraught with extreme violence where opposition party supporters mainly those in high density areas reported of attacks by members of the defence forces especially in bars and night spots. The ZNA has denied that they had deployed officers in high density areas but rather labelling the perpetrators ‘rogue’ elements. The period was also characterised by displacements in both urban and rural areas as political persecution targeting opposition supporters triggered their fleeing their homes. The period also witnessed the escalation of reports of reprisals against political opponents. Zanu PF members and supporters spearheaded reprisals in their party as some individuals were accused of decampaigning the party and sabotaging President Emmerson Mnangagwa. To a lesser extent 3