Eight ways in which the Zimbabwe election has already been rigged even before the vote

Organised intimidation is subtle but widespread

Unknown militants (known locally as ‘mabhinya’) have suddenly appeared in villages as a flagrant effort to intimidate opposition supporters and voters. When your home has already been burned down once, it only takes a thug shaking a matchbox for people to receive the message.

Involvement of the security forces in the election

The army, which ousted Mugabe to install Mnangagwa last year, says it will transport ballot boxes to tallying centers. This is a clear violation of the constitution and another golden opportunity to manipulate votes. Recent viral videos have shown uniformed soldiers herding citizens to attend Mnangagwa rallies and policemen voting early under the watchful eye of their commanders.

Military refusal to accept the outcome

Military leaders have in the past declared that they would only accept a ZANU-PF president. A sitting cabinet minister recently repeated this claim— and kept his job. A common belief is that the coup makers did not take such a risk only to hand power to an opposition party eight months later.

Observers have already begun to arrive in Zimbabwe to assess the validity of the vote on 30 July. At this time, segments of the international community appear untroubled by the double standard that flagrantly flawed elections are somehow acceptable in Africa. This is disrespectful and unsustainable.

As we have written previously, election observers need to start doing their jobs. Too often, the election cops are letting the election thieves get away or — worse — they are aiding and abetting the theft.

By Todd Moss, Jeffrey Smith.

Ed: Ian Scoones of the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex who writes a blog entitled: Zimbabweland has previously questioned Todd Moss’s analysis of Zimbabwe saying though Moss has impressive credentials, and has written other material on Zimbabwe, I cannot see whether he has actually done field research in the country.

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