Figure 4 Key Variables in the Political Climate 9.1 Demands for and Recording of Voter Registration Confirmation Slips Serial Numbers This practice was prevalent in most villages and some urban centres, with traditional leaders, district ZANU PF party chairpersons, ZANU PF Councilors, Members of Parliament and other party officials reported having demanded registrants to submit their registration certificate’s serial numbers to them. These incidents which were intimidatory, and have the impact of misleading registrants into losing faith in the secrecy of the ballot were recorded throughout all Four Phases of the BVR Blitz and the Mop-Up period. Registrants were at times threatened with unspecified actions if they did not comply, while in other instances they were threatened with not being included in food aid programs. Examples of areas where this occurred include Honde Valley, Nyanga North, Greystone Park, Dzivarasekwa, Bikita East, Murehwa South, Rushinga, Mpopoma, Mbire Mudzi North Motoko North, Gokwe Gumunyu, Mt Darwin, Mudzi North, Murewa North, Muzarabani, Chivi Central, Sanyati, Gweru and Murewa. In some areas like Mbire and Mudzi, political parties were reported to have set up ‘camps’ within the vicinity of some registration centres and were noting down details of registration certificates and informing registrants that they will be able to use that information to track voting preferences during elections. While in Motoko North Ward 10, the village was reported to have escorted his subjects to the registration centres to register, after which he took down details of their registration certificates. 38