ZIMBABWE: PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS - 2005 2 After the President’s Address to the Nation in December 2004, the violence was significantly reduced and the 2005 elections were conducted in a peaceful atmosphere. The organised political violence had disappeared, and the opposition was able to campaign in all parts of the country, even though in some districts only with supporters brought in from outside the district itself. Some technical and organisational changes were introduced in order to increase the transparency of the vote and to comply with the SADC Standards. Such improvements included: The introduction of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (even though with limited resources to carry out an independent electoral administration), establishment of an Electoral Court, introduction of conditions for the public media’s coverage of the election campaign, voting on one day only, the count carried out in the polling stations immediately upon closing of the vote, and the use of translucent ballot boxes. Election Day was conducted in a peaceful and well-organised manner. The voters were allowed to vote in polling stations with a sufficient capacity, and domestic observers and party agents were present at almost all polling stations. The count was also carried out in a well-organised manner, up to the compilation of the polling station protocols. However, intimidation and threats of violence were still apparent. The Public Order and Security Act, which limits the freedom of association, makes it extremely difficult for any opposition to organise and gather support in areas controlled by the ruling party. Not only must meetings be applied for four days in advance but the police also insist on being present at the meetings, which the participants obviously experience as intimidating. All electronic media are state owned and their coverage of the campaign was very biased. On the positive side, special election programmes were transmitted where both sides got a fair chance to present their programmes. However, the news coverage and current affairs programmes were clearly in favour of the ZANU PF. Traditional leaders in rural communities made subtle threats in order to induce people to vote for the ruling party. There were also attempts to give voters the impression that the vote would not be secret and that post-election measures would be possible. All the suppressive measures in combination would imply that there was not an environment in which voters could make up their minds in a free and informed manner. Even though the reports of Election Day were predominantly positive, there were some reports of party agents who were not allowed into the polling stations, or had to leave before the count.