US embassy cable - 02HARARE2478

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 002478 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR J. FRAZER 
LONDON FOR C. GURNEY 
PARIS FOR C. NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR T. PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2012 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PREL, EAID, ECON, EFIN, ASEC, ZI 
SUBJECT: DEMOCRATIC SPACE FURTHER RESTRICTED 
 
 
Classified By: Political Officer Audu Besmer for reasons 1.5 b/d 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
1. (C) The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) recently 
issued a report unusually critical of the GOZ, detailing a 
chronology of violence during the October by-election in 
Insiza.  ZESN recommends that an Independent Electoral 
Commission be appointed by Parliament to conduct future 
elections to prevent the "democratic space" in Zimbabwe from 
further shrinking.  Like many others working for a more 
democratic Zimbabwe, ZESN is not hopeful of progress in the 
near future.  End Summary. 
 
2. (U) On October 31, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network 
(ZESN), an association of NGOs, issued an unusually critical 
preliminary report on the by-election held in Insiza October 
26 - 27.  The report blames irregularities squarely on 
ZANU-PF and uses stronger, more condemnatory language than 
ZESN's previous election reports.  Included is a chronology 
of vote buying by the ruling party during the run-up to the 
elections, the disruption of MDC rallies by ZANU-PF officials 
giving out food, the shooting of an MDC official by the 
ZANU-PF candidate, the theft of MDC campaign materials by 
ZANU-PF members, the denial of access to the constituency for 
the MDC candidate, and other shootings and attacks on MDC 
members or their homes.  The report complains that the GOZ 
accredited only eight ZESN observers, that many voters were 
turned away at the polling stations, and that voter turnout 
was low amidst a tense environment. 
 
3. (U) ZESN recommends that an Independent Electoral 
Commission, as opposed to the partisan Electoral Supervisory 
Committee (ESC) that now oversees elections, should be 
appointed by Parliament to conduct future elections.  The 
report recommends that GOZ accredit independent observers 
expeditiously, and that the voters' roll be made available to 
all stakeholders.  And it suggests that polling stations 
should be easily accessible and that food should not be used 
to entice votes. 
 
4. (U) The Chairman of ZESN, Dr. Reginald Matchaba Hove, 
expressed ZESN's frustration at the GOZ's continued 
willingness to use violence, intimidation and vote buying to 
control an election outcome, security threats against the 
opposition candidate, and the GOZ's denial of accreditation 
of 42 ZESN observers.  He said he would meet with the 
Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Elections in a lobbying 
effort to keep the pressure on, but was not hopeful that 
freer elections would result.  Instead, he anticipated that 
the "democratic space" would be further restricted.  He noted 
that distributing food as an integral part of the campaign 
process in near famine conditions could hardly result in a 
democratic outcome.  People in Insiza, he said, had voted for 
food, not their preferred political leadership.  He reported 
that the Grain Marketing Board, (GMB) had already stepped up 
food deliveries in Kuwadzana, the suburb of Harare 
represented by the recently deceased MDC MP Learnmore Jongwe, 
to influence the upcoming by-election there. 
 
Comment: 
-------- 
 
5. (C) ZESN has used more neutral language in past election 
reports to describe irregularities.  In a frustrated tone, 
this report blames the GOZ squarely for hijacking the 
democratic process in what amounts to appointing its 
candidate into office.  Yet, like many others working for a 
more democratic Zimbabwe, Dr. Hove is not hopeful of progress 
in the near future so long as maintaining political power 
remains the predominant objective of the current government. 
We share his view.  End Comment. 
SULLIVAN