Campaign clash

Zimbabwe's two main political organisations, the governing Zanu-PF party of Robert Mugabe, and the Movement for Democratic Change, led by Morgan Tsvangirai, both launch their 2008 Presidential Election campaigns this week.  In the same town. On the same day. In the same stadium.

Zanu-PF will hold its opening jamboree in the 10,000-seater Mucheke Stadium in Masvingo, from 8.0am to 1.0pm, this coming Saturday. Two hours later the MDC will kick off its campaign with a rally in the stadium from 3.0pm to 5.0pm.

Observers and local residents are describing this absurd conjuncture as a recipe for violence, murder and mayhem, forecasting clashes between the more extreme MDC activists and the hired Zanu-PF bullyboys.

MDC officials claim that they were first to book the day and the stadium, choosing Masvingo because it is one of Zimbabwe's historic seats of culture and politics. Posters were printed and other arrangements, including obtaining police permission for the rally, made back in July.

When Zanu-PF realised that the opposition had stolen a march on them, their top men used their muscle, leaned heavily on local police chief Lancelot Matange, and demanded the stadium for themselves on Saturday.

Matange duly obliged, writing to the MDC headquarters as follows: "Due to unforeseen circumstances, Mucheke stadium has been booked for a state function to be attended by Honourable Vice President J T Mujuru on Saturday September 29, 2007. Therefore I withdraw my earlier permission."

MDC officials weren't taking this lying down. They marched straight to the High Court, where a right-thinking judge - yes, we still have a few - immediately reinstated their permission.

Fortunately a compromise was hammered out - a rare occurrence in this country today - and the two-hour time difference between the rallies was agreed. But as activists and supporters will be travelling to Masvingo from all over the country, clashes are thought bound to occur.

One blessing, perhaps, is that, as Officer Matange pointed out, the Zanu-PF rally is being led by Vice-President Joyce Mujuru, while her grisly old boss Mugabe stays well away. But local people still fear violence.

MDC supporter Belinda Sikhosana told me: "It's a suicidal deal, a recipe for violence. Those Zanu-PF thugs are itching to beat up our supporters."

Previous Zimbabwe presidential campaigns have never been peaceful. They have been characterised by bloodletting, beatings, abductions and rape. Starting Saturday, expect more of the same. Much more.

Comments

[steve]

this is scary folks
when we thought violance was not going to feauture in the elections, it appears Zanu is dead determined to kill all of us in the opposition.
by be strong-change and freedom is coming soon

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