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Intimidation in Zimbabwe presidential election

There's been a lot of coverage of the Zimbabwe presidential election, more than I could easily summarize here.

In light of our recent book, Election Fraud, the events in Zimbabwe provide an interesting addendum to work in our book on electoral manipulation, providing vivid examples of what one chapter (written by Rod Kiewiet, Thad Hall, Jonathan Katz and I) called "low-tech election fraud." Here are some excerpts from a Los Angeles Times story, "Zimbabwe presidential election a farce, many say:"

A sweeping mood for change saw Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF lose its parliamentary majority for the first time in March 29 elections, and Tsvangirai best Mugabe in the presidential race then, with about 48% of the vote compared with about 43%, according to official figures.

Then Zimbabwe's military and security chiefs and liberation war veterans took over ZANU-PF's campaign to turn around the shocking defeat: A network of 900 command bases was set up across the country, mobilizing ZANU-PF youth militias to attack and beat opposition activists, drive them from their homes, burn their houses and rape women. People were forced to attend "re-education" meetings, and threatened that if they did not vote for Mugabe in the runoff they would be killed, according to people who had to go to the meetings.

...

Tsvangirai pulled out of the runoff because of the violence against his Movement for Democratic Change, which with another faction won the most seats in parliament. Recent attacks by government supporters have killed 85 opposition activists and supporters and injured about 3,000.

Forced to vote, many Zimbabweans in ballot booths across the country agonized over what to do. Many voters felt they had a choice between the man they wanted but were afraid to vote for, and the man they were afraid of and felt they had to vote for.

Moyo stood in the ballot booth Friday, clenched with fear. Mugabe or Tsvangirai? He hesitated, thinking of the consequences, then marked his ballot.

"I just want change. I voted for Tsvangirai, whether they like it or not. I'm not afraid to die today. But a lot of people do not have that courage." Then he went and gave the ruling party agents his serial number.

...

Reports of intimidation surfaced across the country from voters, opposition agents and independent monitors observing unofficially. In some cases voters had to surrender ID cards and hand over ballot serial numbers to get them back.

In eastern Zimbabwe, near the town of Rusape, the opposition said 27 activists' houses were burned down overnight and several activists were arrested.

Full post as published by Election Updates on June 30, 2008 (boomark / email).