Court bars tens of thousands from voting in Zimbabwe poll
On the eve of the most important elections in Zimbabwe’s history, the Supreme Court barred tens of thousands from voting and the opposition claimed government supporters were still trying to win through intimidation.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change said 12 of their election monitors were arrested today and will not be released until after the polls close.
The Supreme Court ruling that bars those who hold dual citizenship from voting was a serious blow to the opposition’s campaign to end 22 years of iron fist rule by President Robert Mugabe.
The court, largely stacked with judges loyal to Mugabe, disqualified many whites and tens of thousands of black farm workers from neighbouring countries - almost all of whom the MDC said would have voted for their leader, Morgan Tsvangirai.
The MDC said the Supreme Court ruling to only allow citizens to vote in their home voting districts, effectively disenfranchised thousands of its supporters driven from their homes by political violence, as well as urban supporters now required to return to rural home districts to vote.
Recent opinion polls suggest that if the elections were free and fair, Tsvangirai would easily win power, analysts said. But the opposition insist there is little chance the embattled Mugabe will not rig the polls.
Mugabe, 78, toured his rural strongholds north of Harare today. His popularity has crashed amid economic chaos and political violence blamed mostly on his supporters.
Tsvangirai, 49, planned to spend the last day of campaigning in industrial districts of the capital - strongholds of the union-backed MDC.
In New York, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged Zimbabweans to vote, but said he was concerned about violence following the election.
‘‘I encourage voters to exercise their democratic right to vote for the candidate of their choice,’’ Annan said. ‘‘I attach the highest importance to the vote count being completed without interference or manipulation and the result announced without delay.’’
MDC officials said there were widespread state-backed efforts to deter voting tomorrow and on Sunday.
They said more than 80% of the people who had died in the last two years remained on the register in some areas and in other places more than a third of the names of people who voted in the last election had been removed.
Also, ruling party militia bases were located next to polling places in some districts, increasing chances of violence against opposition supporters.
They said 31 of their party monitors were abducted this morning by ruling Zanu-PF youth militia and more than 200 MDC supporters had their ID cards stolen rendering them ineligible to vote.
In violation of electoral laws, they said, Zanu-PF supporters were still registering to vote despite the deadline for registration being 3 March.
The Movement for Democratic Change has accused the government of waging a campaign of violence against opposition voters and of using new security laws to hinder the opposition campaign.
On the campaign trail, Mugabe painted Tsvangirai as a slave to the interests of Britain, Zimbabwe’s former colonial ruler and a frequent target for the president’s barbs.
‘‘How can a true son of Zimbabwe offer himself as a stooge to Britain to be manipulated against himself, against his people,’’ Mugabe said.
He promised to push forward with his controversial programme of seizing white-owned farmland despite Western opposition.
‘‘This is the last struggle. The last phase of the struggle for liberation and total commitment will be required,’’ said Mugabe, who wore a yellow cap and a yellow shirt with his face printed on them. ‘‘There will not be any retreat.’’
Tsvangirai said his party would win despite the difficulties and his government would then tackle lawlessness, the country’s economic decline and would work to give land to poor people.
‘‘The people are now crying for peace and national healing,’’ said Tsvangirai.
