The June 27 runoff election for Zimbabwe is less than one day away. However, it is now with one candidate. The lone candidate is Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe of the Zanu-PF Party. Not long ago, opposition candidate and Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai had dropped out of the runoff election race.
Tsvangirai had dropped out due to pressure from other members of the MDC. Zimbabwe was plunged into violence and sheer chaos ever since the elections at the end of March. Tsvangirai had won; but, he did not win outright. He did not secure the needed majority to avoid a runoff election.
Members, activists, and supporters for the MDC have been the victims of brutal violence and executions at the hands of Mugabe’s Zanu-PF militiamen and mobs. To make matters worse, those mobs were supported by the military.
Now, journalists that have tried to cover the runoff election have been changed off by Zanu-PF militiamen. The journalists escaped but were chased by those militiamen in another vehicle.
According to Catherine Philp, a reporter for the Times, the violence is not just in the countryside, it has also taken place in the cities. She explained that for two days, they were chased by the Zanu-PF militiamen. She explained that the police will not come out to help. Only thing Philp and the other journalists could do was retreat. And retreat they did.
In a nutshell, there is fear and terror everywhere in Zimbabwe. Wherever you go, whether it be the countryside or the urbanized areas, you will come across such fear and intimidation in the country.
The level of fear has gotten to the point where MDC supporters secretly pose as members of the Zanu-PF for safety reasons.
This is an indication on the level of intensity that the violence in Zimbabwe has gotten.
Catherine Philp of the Times deserves props for braving through two pursuits from Zanu-PF militiamen to bring such information to light.
As the international community continues with its condemnation of Mugabe, Mugabe remains defiant. The violence at the hands of the Zanu-PF continues to escalate. While Philp of the Times was chased, expect more journalists to be chased around as they try to further cover the runoff election.
Recently, Nelson Mandela had called Mugabe’s leadership a failure. Queen Elizabeth II has revoked Mugabe’s knighthood.
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