Tensions rise among Zimbabwe’s main parties ahead of general election

Tensions between Zimbabwe’s two largest political parties have increased dramatically in the days leading up to tomorrow’s general election, with each group warning the use of underhand tactics to secure victory will elicit dire consequences.

There has been little political violence reported in the run-up to an election that will end the shaky powersharing arrangement between President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party, and prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

However, accusations that the former liberation movement is intent on rigging the election by manipulating the voters’ roll to ensure its victory have been levelled at Zanu-PF by the MDC and civil society groups.

Over the weekend Mr Tsvangirai reiterated he had no confidence in Zimbabwe's electoral commission to oversee a free and fair poll. He maintained if the official result was delayed he would break the law and announce the election outcome once votes had been tallied.

Discrepancies
Yesterday finance minister Tendai Biti, who is also a senior MDC official, told reporters that "with virtually a day to go to the election, no political party in Zimbabwe other than Zanu-PF perhaps has got a copy of the final voters' roll".

Earlier this month the Harare-based Research and Advocacy Unit revealed major discrepancies in the voters’ roll when it was compared to the population census. It maintained the existing voter list included about one million dead voters or Zimbabweans who had left the country, as well as more than 100,000 people over 100 years old.

On Sunday, at his final campaign rally at a sports stadium on the outskirts of Harare, Mr Mugabe (89) warned his political nemesis not to follow through on his threat to announce unofficial results if the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) failed to release them quickly.

Following the disputed 2008 general election, which led to the recent powersharing arrangement, the ZEC only announced the presidential election results after five weeks.

This showed that Mr Tsvangirai had beaten Mr Mugabe, but he fell just short of securing enough votes – he needed over 50 per cent – to avoid a run-off.

Despite claims by the MDC that Zanu-PF had rigged the count to avoid defeat, the situation led to a second-round head-to-head between both men. Mr Tsvangirai abandoned this poll after his supporters were targeted by widespread state-sponsored violence that left more than 200 dead.

"He [Mr Tsvangirai] knows that is not allowed by law," Mr Mugabe told supporters in the stadium. "ZEC is the only organisation that can announce election results. I can tell you in advance that if you become a law-breaker, the police will arrest you."

Organiser arrested
Mr Mugabe's warning came hours after Mr Tsvangirai's election organiser, Morgan Komichi, was arrested by police at his home. Last week Mr Komichi handed into the authorities marked ballot papers found in a dustbin following early voting by police and army officers.

If Mr Mugabe is elected after tomorrow’s vote it would mean he will likely rule Zimbabwe into his 90s. But a victory will also reignite a succession battle between the two factions in his party waiting in the wings to take control.

Mr Mugabe’s refusal to anoint an heir has led to the formation of two camps, one led by vice-president Joice Mujuru and the other by defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Zanu-PF’s main campaign strategy has been to tell voters it will bring foreign-owned companies under “indigenous” control if it wins the poll.

A victory for Mr Tsvangirai would see the former trade union leader win the presidential election at the fourth time of asking. He ran Mr Mugabe close at the polls in 2002, 2005 and 2008.

While on the campaign trail the MDC has told voters his government would encourage foreign investment and reintegrate Zimbabwe into the international community.

Although the party remains popular, analysts say the MDC has lost some support since 2008 due to a number of personal scandals in which Mr Tsvangirai has become embroiled.