By Nevson Mpofu
On a fair playing ground it has been openly learnt that Security forces inhibit and block free , fair elections in the country . This has been the game since 1980 .This is horrendous to take note of amid reports that these quasi -Judicial people have since Robert Mugabe time intimidated forcefully on voters between 1983 and 1987 , in the year 2000 , heavily more in 2008 battling ZAPU PF and MDC and a small opposition parties born out of ZANU PF .The likes of the inside partises to say were Zimbabwe Union of Democrats , ZUD and Zimbabwe Unity Movement , ZUD respectively by a daughter of the party Margeret Dongo former Member of Parliament and Edgar Tekere former 1980 to 1989 Minister of Economic Development and Man-Power Planning .
Dewa Mavhinga a close source entailed to the Pan-African-Visions this week came up witha report from which a story circulating around was published . It was extracted from a Crisi in Zimbabwe Coalition report . President Mnangagwa is advised to stop security forces from intervening in elections run after every five years in the country .
”The Zimbabwe authorities need to reform security forces completely. There is urgent need to end their involvement in partisan politics. It must be ensured that they are completely professional, act constitutionally in Rights respecting manner”
” For any civil societies and social movements or citizens to campaign , freely in a democratic manner , in order to hold free , credible elections , the elephant in the room of Zimbabwean politics must be removed .”
The intervention of state security in politics started in in 1983 and ended briefly in 1987 . Robert Mugabe the former President deployed section of the army brutally trained to squash the heat of the ZIPRA forces trained under Joshua Nkomo who had sadly lost the 1980 Elections when Mugabe got 57 percent versus Joshua Nkomo 20 percent votes.
Section of the army called fifth brigade was trained by North Korean instructors named then ” gukurahundi , meaning , sweep the chaff and rubbish off ” . This caused disturbances, abuse of human rights in the Midlands and Matebeleland provinces of which the two were ZAPU PF strong-holds . There was brutal , massive violence which led to the death of 20,000 civillans a case in discussion causing winds in the country under the Gukurahundi massacre. The brigades destroyed ZAPU PF bases in the two provinces until Joshua Nkomo finally joined ZANU PF . In 1987 , Government of National unity was formed on 22 December . He was later swirn as Vice President of Zimbabwe , 1987 to 1998 , when he died .
The Zimbabwean government later called for an amnesty to relieve all those who had been involved in human rights violations . This relieved the Central Intelligence Organisation personnel and soldiers who had committed heinous crimes . More violence was witnessed in 2000 following launch of MDC in 1999 . Joshua Nkomo had recently died in 1998 not a happy man at all , it was learnt that he was duped by the unity accord which was supoosed to go in favour of him to take power as well after a period of ten years .
The military still has been a resisting force that has deadenned voices of the people , voters of their concerns and grievances at large . Robert Mugabe created a wave of trailling of massive disturbances that led to the death , maim and injuries of civillians . Batch of soldiers were deployed to DRC late 90’s , excombattants payed billions in net total this leading to problems the country faced , languishing the nation in hunger , poverty and vulnerability . This contributed to the crisis we have .
Scandals were exhumed , soiled up and information destroyed by Mugabe government which was involved in grant massive corruption in in DRC , Mozambique wars where it sent soldiers to help in military hand . United Nations report notes ,
” The key strategist in DRC activities is President Mnangagwa who was the Minister of State Security . He won strong support from the military and the central intelligence for an aggrieve policy in the Democratic Republic of Congo , DRC ”.
Further on unleashing of political violence rocked in 2008 , leading to massive maiming , hands cut short sleeved and long sleeved to those who suppoerted MDC opposition . There were 36,000 displacements , total of 5,000 people severely tortured and 200 killed in 2008 . This is just first hand information . There is more to it than meets the eye .
SADC election observer mission revealed serious injuries occured , fatal incidences , death and brutal torture characterised the election .
” The period leading to run-off election was characterised by politically motivated violence .This resulted in loss of lives in rural areas of ZANU PF strong-holds where there were a number of settled supporters belonging to the party ”,
it concludes
” Zimbabwe is party to the SADC principles and guidelines governing democratic elections established to promote free and fair , transparent , credible and peaceful democratic elections “.
Crisis Coalition report urges Mnangagwa now to move on in a new different direction in coming up with credible , fair elections . The new regime ushered in a new democratic government meant to respect the rule of law , rights of the people and social justice must come with reforms to bring to the people a fearless campaign come 2023 so that people can vote freely , democratically , in a credible , accountable and transparent way .
