ZIMBABWE CRISIS REPORTS

Issue 12 ■ August 2007 Fresh insights into the Zimbabwean situation

VOTER REGISTRATION ENDS WITH A WHIMPER

A campaign to register voters for next year’s election ended almost unmarked, with many people saying they were unaware of the three- month long process.

From Joseph Sithole in Harare

Zimbabwe’s joint presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for next year have generated much controversy. While the ballot has been flagged up as a watershed event for both the ruling party and the

opposition, some analysts are warning Lazele Credit: that it could turn out to be a damp People line up at a voter registration centres in Harare to beat the August 17 squib. deadline. Picture taken August 16, 2007.

They argue that the elections, which Among the reasons cited for these will pit the ZANU-PF party of President gloomy predictions are voter apathy, lack Robert Mugabe against the fractured The elections may not be as of publicity, and the inability of millions of opposition Movement for Democratic exciting as the interest Zimbabweans outside the country to Change, MDC, may not be as exciting they have generated. register for the ballot. The nationwide as the interest they have generated voter registration process ended almost locally and internationally. unnoticed on August 17. Many people

NEWS IN BRIEF

■ At its August 16-17 summit in ■ Zimbabwe’s neighbours have ■ President Mugabe said on August Lusaka, the Southern African reduced electricity supplies because of 20 that his government would forge Development Community failed to Harare’s ballooning debt, raising fears ahead with plans for tougher action censure Zimbabwe’s embattled of a fresh round of power cuts in a against businessmen who defy a President Robert Mugabe, and country already weighed down by directive to reduce prices. instead pledged to assist his growing economic problems. Zimbabwe government weather the ongoing imports 35 per cent of its electricity ■ The government has re- economic crisis. from South Africa, Mozambique and the registered 42 private abattoirs so Democratic Republic of Congo. that they can slaughter cattle and ■ ZANU-PF is reportedly moving supply beef to butcheries people from rural areas to register as ■ The electricity shortage has led countrywide, to ease meat shortages. urban voters for next year’s joint to hundreds of women giving birth in It said the approved abattoirs should presidential and parliamentary the dark. Managers at hospitals and buy stock and sell meat at the elections to strengthen its chances in clinics around the country said a reduced prices set by the the towns, seen as opposition number of babies had died at birth government. strongholds. because of poor sanitary facilities and lack of power.

AUGUST 2007 ■ 1 THE INSTITUTE FOR WAR AND PEACE REPORTING who should have put their names down advertised and was overshadowed by “There is definitely something afoot,” said they were wholly ignorant of the more immediate political he said. “The elections may be no three-month long campaign launched in developments. more than symbolic. ZANU-PF is May. As well as the general lack of already manufacturing figures and information, critics complained that the “The timing of the registration exercise names before the election dates are registration process was manipulated to was very poor,” said the political known to the rest of the nation,” he exclude opposition supporters. scientist, who did not want to be said. named. “Every day, people are being The joint elections have been told about talks taking place in South He noted that only about 80,000 tentatively set for March 2008, but Africa, while back home people are names had been added to the fears of a low turnout have already being quietly registered to vote. It’s electoral roll, a tiny amount set against prompted talk of a postponement to just too packed and confusing,” he the estimated three million who are next June. said. believed to have left Zimbabwe in search of work abroad. The figure of John Mlilo, from Mataga, 450 One such headline news story is the 80,000 was only twice the national kilometres south of the capital Harare, ongoing mediation process between average for a single constituency, he was typical of rural residents who were ZANU-PF and the MDC. In March, said. caught unawares by the voter South African president Thabo Mbeki registration effort. was mandated by the Southern African Development Community to try to bring the two sides to the “The elections may be negotiating table to seek a political no more than symbolic. settlement to Zimbabwe’s eight-year ZANU-PF is already “I doubt if anybody crisis, which has seen inflation registered to vote in this soaring to over 4,500 percent, manufacturing figures ward” — rural resident. unemployment above 80 per cent and names” — analyst. and a mass exodus of economic refugees to neighbouring countries and beyond. A low turnout, especially among its “It is unusual for people to be Then there is the price-cutting blitz supporters, would not be in the registered for elections this early. launched by the government last government’s interests, given a plan Perhaps there was something wrong,” month, which has led to widespread to elect more members to he said. “Normally they register people shortages and crippled public parliament than before. A at the local primary school but this transport. Queues for scarce controversial constitutional time there was nothing. I doubt if commodities such as the staple maize amendment being pushed by anybody registered to vote in this ward meal, sugar, salt, cooking oil and ZANU-PF would increase the because we would have heard about paraffin have become the order of the number of seats in the lower house it.” day in all urban centres. from 150 to 210 and from 66 to 84 in the upper chamber. The mobile voter registration teams have two components — members of “What I don’t understand is why they the government appointed Electoral are keen to increase the number of Supervisory Commission, and staff “The timing of the Senate [upper house] and from the Registrar General’s Office registration exercise was constituency seats when all the who issue birth certificates and very poor” — Harare-based evidence points to fewer voters next national identification documents to analyst. year,” he said. those who do not have them, as this is a prerequisite for voting. There have been allegations that the voter registration campaign is being Mlilo said he had heard that “Mugabe used to stop opposition supporters people” were issuing IDs and birth Finally, prospective voters may have getting onto the electoral roll. The certificates, but not that voters were been distracted by the long holidays Zimbabwe Election Support being registered. around Heroes’ Day, August 11. Network, a non-government organisation that does voter A political scientist at the University of The analyst said the ZANU-PF’s low- education, has reported that Zimbabwe said many people in urban key approach to registering voters was traditional leaders in rural areas are as well as rural areas may have cause for concern. This was true even excluding known supporters of missed the deadline because the in those rural areas where ZANU-PF opposition parties, for example registration campaign was poorly can normally expect a clear majority. denying them ID papers.

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Fidelis Mhashu, an MDC member of “The party has squandered a lot of “Because of our constituency-based parliament for Chitungwiza, 30 km goodwill because of internal voting system, even if registered, southeast of Harare, claimed that squabbles. Many people have lost voters outside Zimbabwe would need some 65 residential properties in his hope that it can ever beat ZANU-PF. to return home to vote in their constituency had been omitted from Most of them have been frustrated out constituencies for their MPs,” he said. the document used as proof of of the polling booth. “I don’t know whether the MDC is able residence. He warned that if this to bring back the over three million practice proved to be more “Add to this the estimated three million people who have left the country since widespread, it would prejudice the Zimbabweans reportedly living in the 2000 — that is, if it is true that all these MDC in the polls. diaspora and it gives you a bleak people still support the opposition. picture of the MDC.”

Martin Chiriga, from the poor suburb of Many MDC supporters Kuwadzana, sells mobile phone “still not sure whether airtime cards near a voter registration MDC should “sort out centre but had not bothered to put his their problems before they their party is going to own name down. He said he had participate in next year’s voted for the opposition in the past, can count on my vote” – elections” — analyst. but was no longer interested in doing disgruntled Zimbabwean so. voter.

“They [MDC] should first sort out The political scientist in Harare noted their problems before they can count that the bitter acrimony between the on my vote,” said Chiriga. “Why MDC’s two rival factions had not should I vote for them when they are “On the other hand, if they were helped focus the minds of potential already fighting for power they allowed to vote from their present opposition voters. haven’t got? Is that going to feed my locations wherever they are, they can children?” only vote for the president, which is “Because of their own internal not constituency-based. If Tsvangirai problems, the two factions were At the talks in South Africa, the MDC is wins, that would create a serious unable to educate their constituents on holding out for reforms to election constitutional crisis if his party loses the need to register,” he said. “Many legislation, a new constitution, and the parliamentary election. Because of are further still not sure whether their extending the right to vote to our first-past-the-post system, it is the party is going to participate in next Zimbabweans in the diaspora. Yet party with the highest number of year’s elections or not.” even if the opposition wins on all these constituency seats which forms the points, it still might not be enough. government, not the individual. It Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of one would really be a messy affair.” of the MDC factions, recently warned that his party might not take part in He stressed that this scenario was the polls if the Mbeki-mediated talks “very unlikely, given that few in South Africa fail to extract MDC “has squandered a lot Zimbabweans would be ready to come sufficient concessions from the ruling of goodwill because of back home before they are certain that party to ensure free and fair the crisis is being tackled more elections. internal squabbles” holistically. Many have already — civil servant. adjusted to their new environments and The schism has lost the MDC goodwill are trying to carve out new careers for and credibility among its potential themselves and their families.” electorate since the 2000 general election, when it lost to the ZANU-PF He concluded, “Despite the hype, next only narrowly. According to the political scientist at year’s election is going to be a the University of Zimbabwe, allowing lacklustre affair, with perhaps the “We can argue about rigging and this expatriates to vote would at best lead lowest voter turnout we have seen in and that but the fact remains that the to the MDC winning the presidential many years.” MDC is never, and will never be, the election but losing the parliamentary same party we voted for in 2000,” said poll. This, he said, would create “a Joseph Sithole is the pseudonym of a Abel Tsuro, a civil servant in Harare. constitutional crisis”. reporter in Zimbabwe. ■

AUGUST 2007 ■ 3 THE INSTITUTE FOR WAR AND PEACE REPORTING NEW INTERCEPT LAW CONDEMNED

Wide-ranging powers to conduct surveillance are designed to extend the government’s grip at a time when the international mediation effort is focused on greater openness.

By Joseph Sithole in Harare

A new law allowing the security services to snoop into private correspondence, listen in to phone calls and track internet communications is the latest manifestation of growing paranoia in the Zimbabwean government, local analysts say. Lazele Credit: Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu. Picture taken May 6, 2007. Analysts say the Interception of Communications Act is part of measures to ensure ZANU-PF has an easy run in next year’s elections, as it gathered will either be forwarded to An independent journalist, who strives to retain power in the face of a special monitoring centres or rerouted declined to be named, said the new devastating eight-year economic there automatically. law “exposes us all to the prying eyes depression. Rather than opening up of the state” and “makes privacy a the space for political pluralism, as Conventional mail can be opened if privilege rather than a right for the presupposed by the mediation effort the interior minister issues a warrant to individual”. led by South African president Thabo the police, civilian and military Mbeki, the government was doing intelligence agencies or taxation “It reminds one of Nazi Germany and exactly the opposite, they said. service, in cases where a serious the Gestapo,” he added. offence is believed to have been or might be committed, or where there is a perceived threat to national security. Once granted, the surveillance The new law gives police warrant is effective for at least three Law demonstrates Mugabe and other authorities to months. regime is in a “a state of intercept letters, emails, paranoia and panic” - Media watchdog groups and the MDC’s Nelson Chamisa. phone calls and faxes. Zimbabwean opposition have reacted with outrage.

Nelson Chamisa, a member of parliament and spokesman for the The international media rights group President Robert Mugabe signed the opposition Movement for Democratic Reporters Without Borders said, “The controversial bill into law on August 3 Change, MDC, described the law as promulgation of this law is further after parliament passed it on July 13. “an unjustifiable invasion of a person’s evidence of Mugabe’s desire to keep rights”. news and information under close The new law gives police and other control. Zimbabwe had already given authorities to intercept letters, emails, The move showed that the government itself one of the world’s most phone calls and faxes. Internet was at war with its people, he said in repressive legislative arsenals as providers will have to install the remarks to a local paper, adding that regards press freedom. Now all forms hardware and software necessary to the regime was in “a state of paranoia of communication have been placed intercept messages. The information and panic”. under surveillance.”

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The government already has Mugabe signed the intercept law at concerned is entirely at the mercy of draconian laws in place — the Public the same time as the Anti-Terrorism the security authority”. Order and Security Act severely Act, which allows the authorities to restricts the activities of opposition detain anyone suspected of When the bill was being debated last parties, while the Access to involvement in “anti-Zimbabwe year, the Association for Internet Information and Protection of Privacy activities”. Service Providers warned that private Act imposes stringent restrictions on and confidential information could private media and journalists. easily be misused by the security agencies. Communications between A political scientist at the University of lawyers and clients, or doctors and Zimbabwe in Harare said the new “The real target of this law patients, for example, could pass into surveillance rules were designed to is the opposition” the wrong hands. Then the only allow the Mugabe administration to — Harare-based analyst. recourse for the individual concerned monitor and outmanoeuvre its would be to appeal to the same opponents. minister who authorised the intercept in the first place.

Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said recently that only people involved Intercept legislation in terrorist activity needed to worry “exposes us all to the about the new laws, suggesting they “There is a clear conflict of prying eyes of the state” were analogous to the tougher legislation that the United States and interest when a service — journalist. Britain introduced to counter provider is also expected to heightened security threats. spy on his clients” —

As well as groups to whom the internet company manager. “The real target of this law is the government is hostile, there are fears opposition,” said the academic, who that ordinary Zimbabweans will find did not want to be named. themselves caught in the net. “Government wants to fully monitor the activities of the MDC and civic A senior manager with an internet firm society organisations, which expressed concern that service government accuses of working to providers and mobile phone remove it from power…. It will “The individual… is entirely companies would effectively become become easy to destabilise the agents of the state. opposition because the government at the mercy of the security can easily have access to all their authority” — lawyer. “This is going to cost them dearly in strategies.” terms of foreign currency required to import the equipment,” he said, “but However, this tough approach could more than that, it is going to cost them prove counterproductive for the in terms of business confidence. There government. The Harare-based political scientist is a clear conflict of interest when a noted that electronic intercept systems service provider is also expected to “Zimbabwe is already a pariah state work by picking up on a spy on his clients and pass private and the last thing one wants is further predetermined set of words. “It means information to the state. isolation. But that is precisely what the any individual using certain names government is doing,” said the political and terms can be put under He predicted that the public would scientist, noting that previous disputed surveillance even if they didn’t have lose confidence in provider election results had created “a crisis of any sinister motives in using that companies, adding, “There is going to legitimacy”. combination of terms and names,” he be mutual suspicion between service said. providers and their clients, which is He noted that democratic reforms very bad for business.” were high on the MDC’s agenda in the A lawyer in Harare who asked to South African president’s ongoing remain anonymous commented, “What Joseph Sithole is the pseudonym of a mediation efforts. it all boils down to is that the individual journalist in Harare ■

AUGUST 2007 ■ 5 THE INSTITUTE FOR WAR AND PEACE REPORTING GRAIN SUPPLIES RUNNING LOW

Although the government insists everything is fine, domestic grain production is down on last year and imports may not cover the shortfall.

By Benedict Unendoro in Harare

As food security in Zimbabwe continues to deteriorate, a famine warning agency has classed the situation there as an “emergency”, while local millers have warned that the country may soon run out of grain. Credit: Lazele Credit: In a report on August 9, the Famine A mill office in the Zimbabwean countryside. Picture from 2006. Early Warning System Network, FEWS NET, a United States agency which monitors hunger worldwide — attributed the food crisis to an ongoing In June this year, FEWS NET warned was established to ensure food economic decline made worse by a that Zimbabwe faced a shortfall of one security, particularly in relation to poor harvest, the government’s recent million tonnes of maize, sorghum and staples such as maize and wheat — price controls and restrictions on basic millet — about 800,000 tonnes of it has dismissed reports that the country commodity imports. maize. It urged the government and is running out of grain. donor community to mobilise for an All these factors, the report said, have immediate and coordinated response But its frantic efforts to import “caused a significant decrease in to address the growing levels of food supplies, particularly maize, suggest Zimbabwe’s food security, especially in shortages in the country. otherwise. the southwest and in urban areas”. Last month, agriculture minister Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Rugare Gumbo told the press that miller based in Harare said, “We Delay in Malawian maize Zimbabwe was importing 200,000 collect our maize from the Grain imports due to “logistical tonnes of maize from Tanzania. Marketing Board depot at Murewa [a district 75 km northeast from the problems” or non-payment? “We have been importing maize from capital Harare] but there hasn’t been Zambia and Malawi. Right now, we are any maize there in the past few weeks. finalising the modalities to import Our stocks are running out very maize from Tanzania,” he said. quickly.” “There is a general consensus that Zimbabwe’s 2006-2007 cereal But a proposed deal to import 400,000 He said the situation was the same at production has to be complemented tonnes of maize from neighbouring Harare’s main depot, Aspindale, where by imports of over one million [tonnes] Malawi was reportedly delayed millers from the rest of the country if the country is to meet cereal because of Zimbabwe’s inability to collect their consignments. requirements for the 2007/08 pay. consumption year.” In a recent report, The Herald, a In an interview with the government government newspaper, revealed that According to FEWS NET, Zimbabwe’s paper The Herald in mid-August, the the winter wheat harvest this year was domestic grain production meets only GMB’s acting chief executive, half the size of last year’s, and that 55 per cent of the country’s needs. Samuel Muvuti, said the maize only 45,000 hectares instead of the expected from Malawi was not rolling projected 76,000 had been The government’s grain monopoly, the in due to “logistical problems in that harvested. Grain Marketing Board, GMB — which country”.

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However, Malawi’s finance minister an interest in seeing that grain goes to In response, the taskforce told the Goodall Gondwe, quoted in the Nyasa areas seen as loyalist rather than GMB and millers to comply with the Times, suggested that negotiations opposition constituencies. regulations or face prosecution, and had focused on Zimbabwe’s readiness warned that a law would soon be to pay for the maize. While the Zimbabwe government enacted to impose mandatory two- blames crop shortages on the year jail terms for traders found guilty “We’ve reached an agreement and we droughts that have ravaged the of over-pricing. are sure that they will pay us,” he said. country in the past few years, its critics say the government’s controversial Although millers agreed to comply with According to FEWS NET, 115,000 agricultural policies are the cause. the directive, they said the pricing tonnes of an expected 400,000 have formula was not sustainable and would so far been imported. The agency also In particular, they point to the only make the food situation worse. said the World Food Programme and controversial land reform programme, C-SAFE, a consortium of aid providers, which the government launched in By the time they have bought maize are considering importing around 2000 to confiscate land from white from the GMB, transported it to their 352,000 tonnes of maize to make up commercial farmers and redistribute it mills, paid their workers, and taken the shortfall. to poor and middle-income landless care of other overheads including black Zimbabweans. Much of the packaging, they say they make a profit land went to farmers with no of just 2,000 Zimbabwean dollars, Grain Marketing Board’s experience of large-scale farming, ZWD — roughly 13 US cents — on and some went to senior regime each 10 kilogram bag. ability to distribute maize figures who had no interest in turning “a serious concern” the farms round. — report. Government critics say that like all tropical countries, Zimbabwe is ZANU- has an interest in naturally prone to drought, but the ensuring grain goes to But the agency has now raised doubts commercial farmers had mitigated the areas seen as loyalist about whether the GMB has the effects by installing modern irrigation rather than pro-opposition capacity to distribute the grain even if systems, which were then vandalised enough is imported. “The GMB’s ability and neglected during the chaotic land to distribute maize is a serious grab. concern, as in the past GMB “They say we should sell a 10 kg bag distributions have been erratic and The GMB told the Cabinet Taskforce of maize meal for 37 ZWD when it local shortages are common,” said the on Pricing on August 7 that besides costs us 35,000 ZWD to produce it,” latest FEWS NET report. the lack of maize, its work had been said a miller who spoke on condition greatly affected by a June government of anonymity. “It simply won’t do.” There is also concern that the GMB is directive to slash prices of goods and vulnerable to political manipulation by services in an attempt to counter Benedict Unendoro is an IWPR the ruling ZANU-PF party, which has soaring inflation. contributer in Harare. ■

The Zimbabwe Crisis Report is information provision, It also contributes to the an initiative of IWPR-Africa’s capacity building and development of regional policy, Zimbabwe Programme. dissemination and distribution. promotes dialogue and builds This programme promotes bridges within the region. It also democratization and good The key purpose is to increase raises the Africa wide and governance with Southern Africa awareness in the Southern African international profile of Zimbabwe and contributes to the region of the Zimbabwean in the context of the region. development of a culture of situation and the implications for Importantly it also builds the skills human rights and the rule of law. regional peace, security and and capacity of the media to Focusing on Zimbabwe the economic development. reliably and accurately report programme has three core political transition, governance and components — human rights issues.

The programme is managed by the Institute for War and Peace Reporting — Africa. For further details go to www.iwpr.net

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