Mugabe puts military in centre of election

Mugabe puts military in centre of election

• Zim opposition demands voters' roll review

• MDC, Zanu (Ndonga) 'not fooled' by TV, radio coverage

• MDC to make poll decision in January

• MDC cries foul as constituencies erased

• MDC: 'Delimitation an exercise in deception'

• Delimitation commission erases MDC constituencies

• Mugabe swears in delimitation commission

• Zimbabwe voters' roll 'inflated by a million'

• Mugabe bars Western observers from polls

• Tsvangirai warns of Zimbabwe 'inferno'

• Call off boycott, Mogae urges MDC

• Two Zanu PF MPs lose seats

• Sparks fly over voters' roll tampering

• Zanu PF tests popularity with membership cards

• Majority Zimbabweans want MDC to stand

• Zimbabwe bars election observers

• Sadc must show its teeth, says Tsvangirai

• Mugabe retains control over elections

• Police swoop on MDC offices

• Zanu PF takes Seke after MDC boycott

• Britain, SA pressure Mugabe over reforms

• MDC threatens poll boycott, withdraws Harare councillors

• Electoral reforms to be tested in by-election

• Nigeria angrily denies funding MDC

• Zim claims Nigeria funding opposition

• 'Mugabe's compliance the litmus test for SADC protocol on democratic polls'

By Peta Thornycroft

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe was accused Sunday of "militarising" Zimbabwe's forthcoming election after a new law placed the army in charge of polling stations and installed the regime's allies in every key position.

Devoid of any independent supervision, the March parliamentary polls are expected to see a sweeping victory for the ruling Zanu-PF party.

Mr Mugabe has given the security forces a legal role in elections
The Electoral Act, signed into law by Mr Mugabe last week, gives the security forces a legal role in national elections for the first time in Zimbabwe's history.

Section 17 allows the heads of the "service commissions" to second personnel to serve as "constituency election officers, deputy constituency elections officers, assistant constituency elections officers and polling officers". The commissions are defined as the army, air force, police and prison service.

David Coltart, the justice spokesman for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, called it the "militarisation of the election process itself". He added: "These elections will take place under the most repressive laws in our history. Not a single electoral body is impartial.

"In the presidential election, Mugabe used the army covertly, now he can do it legally."

Mr Mugabe has gained the loyalty of the security forces. Before the presidential election of 2002, all senior military commanders declared they would serve under no president except him.

Moreover, members of the regime's youth militia, held responsible for a violent campaign against the MDC, are being incorporated into the security forces and will run polling stations.

Mr Mugabe has ensured that his allies will oversee the contest. A High Court judge, Mr Justice George Chiweshe, has been made chairman of the Election Commission.

He also runs the body charged with drawing up new constituency boundaries, a role in which he has already eliminated three opposition seats and created three others in Zanu-PF strongholds.

Paul Themba Nyathi, the MDC spokesman, said the opposition had "serious reservations" about Mr Justice Chiweshe's impartiality and independence.

Shortly after being appointed to the bench, the judge denied bail to an MP from the MDC who was critically ill after spending six weeks in custody.

The MDC is deeply divided over whether to boycott the polls, in which it is likely to lose half of its 51 seats if it runs any candidates - Daily Telegraph
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