Today finally, the Zimbabweans would be able to elect their new president and parliament. However, there is much apprehension among the Zimbabweans as well as among the international observers whether the country will witness a free and fair election. Although the 84-year old President of Zimbabwe is adamant to tighten the reigns of his administration that he firmly held for 28 long years since the country attained its independence from the British but popular resentment against Robert Mugabe has visible unnerved the most powerful man of the country.
Widespread corruption of the Mugabe led Zanu-PF government has impoverished the once prosperous country with widespread hunger, mass unemployment, 100,000% rate of inflation and a rapidly depreciating currency. The few Zimbabweans who are employed, largely in the police, army and the governmental sector receive billions of Zimbabwean dollar in salary due to the rapidly devaluing currency. The majority of Zimbabweans survive on remittances sent by their expatriate relatives.
Mugabe has taken large number of initiatives to defeat the opposition Movement for Democratic Change’s Presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai, who was denied power in the 2002 elections amidst widespread fraud. According to the most recent opinion poll, Tsvangirai would get 28% of the vote, Mugabe 20% and Simba Makoni, who split from Zanu-PF, will get only 9% of the vote. Nearly a third of those polled was undecided or did not reveal their preference. Election monitoring groups has accused the ruling Zanu-PF party of having printed millions of extra ballots, intimidating rural voters of cutting their food supplies and has deployed loyal police personnel inside polling booths to oversee elections. However, the opposition has warned the Mugabe regime of massive demonstrations if his administration rigs the polls. With both the government and the opposition prepared to take the polling battles to the streets, Zimbabwe has geared for a violent election.
Source:The Independent
Image:abc
