Ruth Weiss: Zimbabwe before the elections (36)

Post Election

Following its landslide election victory, Zanu-PF began hounding opponents, forcing MDC supporters to leave their homes in rural areas and Harare, while police conducted illegal searches of MDC-T offices and homes of leaders. In some rural areas MDC supporters were forced to give up their MDC regalia and join Zanu-PF. A 24-hour massive police presence was posted outside MDC-T's headquarters, with Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri praising Robert Mugabe's victory.

There were no public celebrations, even Zanu-PF supporters were stunned that Mugabe had achieved 2m votes - last time round in 2008 it was 1m. The human rights lawyer Daniel Molokele wrote on August15th that Zimbabwe's future looked dim under Mugabe and after him for a long time under Zanu-PF.(1) Zimbabweans demonstrated in South Africa and the UK against the "stolen" election, while a rash of anti-Mugabe graffiti has broken out in Harare. A website Avaaz-org. asked for signatures worldwide to protest against the elections. (2) Contrary to popular belief that Mugabe was an African icon, a South African survey showed that 85% black South Africans did not regard him as a hero.(3).

The EU has reserved judgment on the election result, saying that observers' reports have to be studied.

Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC has sent a dossier on alleged rigging to SADC ahead of its Malawi summit on August 17/18, while civic society organisations also appealed to SADC to reconsider its view of a "fair and peaceful" election. MDC-T filed an objection to the election in the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) due to be heard on August 17, also asking the High Court to order the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to provide the voters' roll, presidential election results for each ward and a forensic examination of the voters' roll, ballots, voters' registration slips. Zec had acknowledged that 305 000 were turned away and 207 000 "assisted" with voting.(4)

The MDC Court action was not backed by everyone, with the opposition split in its view on how to proceed and one faction for calling for action not court proceedings. However, fear of the secret service - Central Intelligence Service (CSO) is all pervading, with Tsvangirai pleading for peaceful protest. Exiled MD leader Roy Bennet called for an exodus of leaders to form a government-in-exile. Others think Tsvangirai should step down in favour of former Finance Minister Tendai Biti.(5) Some analysts feel that incumbency together with rigging was not alone responsible for MDC's defeat, but a number of other factors also contributed to Zanu-PF victory, including MDC's failure in the coalition government to effect reforms at the start of the coalition.(6)

Speaking at the graveside of an activist who died in prison where she had been held in remand for two years, Tsvangirai revealed that he had rejected Zanu-PF's approach regarding a second Government of National Unity.(7)

South Africa's President Jacob Zuma denied reports he would ask SADC to released him from the job of dealing with the Zimbabwe issue. He "had not yet finished with Zimbabwe" and would give SAC his report.(8)

With elections out of the way, the fight for succession within Zanu-PF to Mugabe is expected to intensify between Vice President Joice Mujuru and Defence Minister Emerson Mnangagwa. While Mnangagwa is likely to ensure the military's control of the diamond sector and the best farmland, Mujuru will try and protect the investments of her faction in banking and retail.(9)

Zanu-PF is anxious to mend its relationship with the West and would not take up the issue of US and UK remarks concerning the election outcome.(10)

Economy

The questions concerning the economy continue. The Stock Exchange has yet to recover, while the question of the return of the Zim. Dollar and the threatening indigenisation exercises the business community.

Mugabe declared, that he now had the mandate to proceed full speed ahead with indigenisation and empowerment. Zanu-PF spokesman confirmed that indigenisation would be fully implemented.(11). Some 1138 foreign and white-owned companies are thus in line to hand over 51% of their shares, mining companies without compensation. Though a deal was previously concluded between the Zimbabwe government and Impala Platinum involving payment of US$900m, the company is now unlikely to receive anything South African companies which may be affected include Aquarius Platinum, Standard Bank, Old Mutual, cement company PPC and SABMiller which owns Delta, the country's largest beverage supplier.(12)

Russian firms are to participate with 40% in a consortium planning to exploit Darwendale platinum deposits of 19 tons proven reserves and 775 tons of metals including palladium, gold, nickel and copper.(13)

According to the Times, UK, a secret memorandum was signed in 2012 for Zimbabwwe to supply uranium to Iran, but the government denied this. Journalist Jan Raath was briefly arrested and released with orders to write an affidavit on the story.(14)

1. Times UK 15.8
2. Daily News 15.8, Zim.situation 15.8
3. The Zimbabwean 15.8
4. SW Radio Africa 8.8, The Zimbabwean 8.8, 9.8, SABC 10.8, Newsday 10.8, 12.8
5. Zim.Situation 11.8
6. The Guardian12.8, The Zimbabwean 12.8
7. Radio VOP Africa 14.8
8. Zim. Situation 11.8, Daily News 15.8
9. Zim.Situation 11.8, Bloomberg 15.8
10. Daily News 15.8
11. The Economist 7.8, Reuters 13.8, Daily News 15.9
12. Sunday Times Business Times 11.8
13. Zim.Situation 12.8
14. Nehanda Radio 15.8