Zanu-PF used terror in Marondera-West - election monitors

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) said this week that the ruling Zanu-PF and its supporters “manipulated state machinery” and threatened villagers with eviction if they did not vote for Zanu-PF candidate, Ambrose Muinhiri, in the Marondera-West by-election, ‘The Financial Gazette’ said on Thursday. The ZESN monitored the poll on behalf of the government’s Electoral Supervisory Commission (ESC). “Various levels (were) characterised by assaults, threats of a return to war or evictions and killings. Other forms of violence were psychological in nature involving inculcating fear in people’s minds about the ruling party being able to know which candidates people voted for,” A ZESN report said. The report added that Zanu-PF also made use of government facilities to facilitate the logistics of their campaign.