The Daily Agenda for Week Ending 30 May 2008
Today 30 May 2008
Police cast postal ballots
There are reports that police officers in various parts of the country are conducting postal ballots for the 27 June 2008 Presidential run-off in direct contravention of the Electoral Act. In Bulawayo, police officers were being bussed to Drill Hall from various police stations in the city. The Electoral Act states that postal votes should be conducted a week before Election Day and in the presence of election observers. Police officers are made to vote in front of the Officer Commanding the province and those who went through the process allege that the officer wanted to see exactly how they voting and had resignation forms ready for those who voted for Morgan Tsvangirai.
Meanwhile, all police officers residing in police residences in police camps have been ordered to take down their satellite dishes. Apparently, the order does not affect those who reside outside police camps.
Harare
15 Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) activists including leader Jenni Williams have been in police custody since Wednesday after they were arrested for demonstrating in the Harare City centre.
29 May 2008
Police officers begin voting in run off
Gwanda - A meeting was convened today for all heads of sections where all police officers were urged to apply for postal ballots so that they cast their votes in favour of Zanu PF. A senior police officer (name supplied) warned that if they dared spoiled the ballots, they would be dealt with accordingly.
Lupane - Over 200 police officers were bussed into the town overnight to begin voting through postal ballot. They are assembled at Kusile Rural District Council
Gweru
Six MDC activists were arrested in Chirumhanzu after repelling an attack by a ZANU PF mob. The activists appeared in court in Gweru yesterday. The case was postponed to Friday next week and they are currently in custody.
Gokwe
A base was set up yesterday at Tsungai by alleged war vets led by one Musaradada and a Zanu Pf councillor Mrs Moyo. The alleged war vets told the villagers to pay them two Billion dollars or one goat and those that had neither been asked to bring nor less than two chickens. Villagers have been paying for fear for their lives.
Hwange
State security operatives are visiting Hwange Colliery workers’ representatives telling them to advise their colleagues to vote wisely unlike what happened during the March 29 elections.
28 May 2008
Gweru
Youths in the Sogwala area of Lower Gweru are being taken from their homes and made to run long distances by soldiers and Zanu PF militia.
Senior police officers in the Midlands have been instructed to ‘tighten the screws’ on MDC and civil society activists in the province. They were also ordered stop arresting alleged war veterans and Zanu PF thugs perpetrating acts of violence with immediate affect. The names targeted activists read out at a
meeting of top security officers include Peter Muchengeti of Zimcet, Zansi Mabunda (the Gweru Agenda programme officer), Isaac Thebethebe, Charles Chikozho and Nkosinathi Mangena. They were instructed to keep a close track of them.
27 May 2008
Binga community under pressure to vote Zanu PF
State Security, Zanu PF militia and pseudo war vets have been holding successive meetings which villagers are being forced to attend. At one of these meetings on Monday, one of the war vets told the villagers that, “This is the first stage and the next time we come here we will beat you up. You should know who the leader of this nation is.”
In Sianvundu, a village in Binga, war vets threatened villagers warning them that voting for Tsvangirai would lead to bloodshed. However, villagers have declared that they knew who to vote for and would not change their minds even if they were beaten up because they had suffered enough.
Matopo
On 25 May 2008 villagers at Silozwe, Business Centre, Ward 16, were addressed by alleged war veterans who told them that Mugabe would never hand over power to Morgan Tsvangirai even if Tsvangirai won the election. The meeting was addressed by the Zanu PF councillor for Ward 23.
Plumtree
Plumtree Agenda Chairman Edwin Ncube, the programmes officer, Helijah Moyo, Senator-elect for Bulilima Mangwe, Lutho Tapela, and the MDC MP-elect for Bulilima West, Norman Mpofu, were arrested and detained on Saturday 24 May and released 3 days later without charge. Police accused the four of holding a public meeting without clearance. However, the Electoral Act is clear that police only need to be informed of a public meeting and that in any case the
meeting in question was an internal one.
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Bulawayo Agenda
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