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Zimbabwe: Grim Forecast for Elections |
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With the unsettling memories of Kenya's electoral aftermath still on my mind, I'm pretty concerned about Zimbabwe's upcoming polls next Saturday, March 29. Story after story signals tension.
The opposition is accusing the government of stuffing voter lists with ghost names. The opposition also objects to Mugabe's reversal of an earlier decision not to allow police officers into polling stations. The same article notes that urban areas, where opposition support is strongest, may not have enough polling stations (remind you of anywhere?) The issue of whether Zimbabweans who have left the country will be able to vote or not is also contentious, particularly because many people among the millions who have fled blame Mugabe for the devastated economy.
In short, tensions are running high, largely because of the very real possibility of electoral rigging and disenfranchisement, coupled with very real economic and political problems. Everybody pretended Kenya was a surprise, but in this case we can see the potential for chaos coming from a mile away. So if violence breaks out next week, will we hear about those structural factors, or will we hear about "tribes" and about how "backward" African democracies are?
You tell me.
Foul play should come as no surprise. Please read:
http://reporterregrets.blogspot.com/2008/03/zimbabwe-2000-scoop-sinist er.html