ZIMBABWE: MDC REPORTS THAT 30 OF ITS ELECTION MONITORS WERE ASSAULTED BY ZANU-PF MILITANTS WITH CLUBS AND BROKEN BOTTLES IN SHARNVA

Record ID: 649268

  • Title: ZIMBABWE: MDC REPORTS THAT 30 OF ITS ELECTION MONITORS WERE ASSAULTED BY ZANU-PF MILITANTS WITH CLUBS AND BROKEN BOTTLES IN SHARNVA
  • Date: 8th March 2002
  • Summary: (U7) HARARE, ZIMBABWE (MARCH 8, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF MDC (MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE) PARTY ELECTION MONITORS IN ROOM COVERED IN BANDAGES AFTER BEING BEATEN UP BY GROUP OF YOUTHS AS THEY WERE BEING DEPLOYED TO VOTING LOCATIONS (3 SHOTS) 0.18 2. CU: MONITOR WITH BLOODIED HEAD BANDAGE 0.21 3. CU/SV: MORE OF INJURED MONITORS (2 SHOTS) 0.34 4. SCU: BLOOD ON MONITOR'S JACKET 0.44 5. CLOSEUP OF OBSERVER'S BADGE 0.49 6. SCU: PEOPLE MAKING NOTES 0.54 7. SV'S: PILE OF DESTROYED MDC PARTY ELECTION POSTERS ON GROUND (2 SHOTS) 0.59 8. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE DISTRIBUTING BALLOT BOXES (4 SHOTS) 1.27 8. SV: MILITARY WATCHING OVER DISTRIBUTION 1.33 9. SV: ELECTION MONITOR 1.38 10. ZOOM OUT: BALLOT BOX 1.47 11. VARIOUS: MILITARY WITH ELECTION BOXES; PEOPLE AROUND ELECTIONS BOZES (5 SHOTS) 2.15 Initials ++PART QUALITY AS INCOMING++ Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 23rd March 2002 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: HARARE, ZIMBABWE
  • Country: Zimbabwe
  • Reuters ID: LVAJHH6U9ZU10EAXUZ6K0JZDWQA
  • Story Text: Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has predicted he
    would storm to victory in Zimbabwe's weekend elections, as the
    opposition charged wholesale rigging of the vote and a
    minister said the army was on high alert.


    The MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) reported on
    Friday (March 8) night that 30 of its election monitors were
    assaulted by ZANU-PF militants with clubs and broken bottles
    in Shamva, 120 km (75 miles) northeast of Harare.

    Mugabe was equally confident, saying at his 50th and final
    rally in rural Bindura he would defeat Tsvangirai and "bury"
    his alleged sponsor, British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

    Mugabe, who led the country to independence, has focused
    his campaign on accusing Britain of trying to engineer his
    defeat in a bid to recolonise the former white-ruled Rhodesia.

    Mugabe, 78, and Tsvangirai, 49, are fighting for the next
    six years as president, but constitutional experts say control
    of parliament is part of the prize.

    They say that if he wins, Tsvangirai will be able to
    replace enough of the 30 unelected delegates in the 150-seat
    parliament to gain at least a slender majority.

    ZANU-PF beat the MDC by only 62 to 57 of the 120 seats
    available in a June 2000 parliamentary election after a
    campaign marred by violence mainly against opposition
    supporters.

    The government-appointed Electoral Supervisory Commission,
    headed by an ex-soldier, said 4,700 polling stations would
    open in towns and cities from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (0500 to 1700
    GMT) on Saturday and Sunday. Polls would close at 5 p.m. in
    rural areas.

    Counting is due to begin at 8 a.m. on Monday with first
    results due by evening and a final result possibly on Tuesday.

    Political analysts said after polling stations were listed
    on Friday there were more in Mugabe's rural strongholds than
    in June 2000, and fewer in urban areas seen favouring
    Tsvangirai.



  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register