Zim army commander threatens integrity of elections – Human Rights Watch

By hrw.org

Zimbabwe’s army commander has openly stated that the country’s security forces intend to play a partisan political role, threatening future elections and those participating in them, Human Rights Watch has said.

Zimbabwe National Army commander, Lt. General Anselem Sanyatwe, was last month quoted as saying that people would be marched to polling stations “whether you like it or not,” and that the ruling party, Zanu PF, would “rule forever.”

Since the August 2023 general election, in which Zanu PF failed to win an outright majority in parliament, the country has witnessed several by-elections in constituencies where opposition members of parliament were dismissed in a bizarre ploy. The dismissals were seen as an attempt to tilt the balance of power in Zanu PF’s favour.

“The Zimbabwe military commander’s open endorsement of the ruling party not only threatens the fairness of elections but opens the door for security force abuses against voters, the opposition, and civil society organizations,” said Allan Ngari, Africa advocacy director at Human Rights Watch.

“Zimbabwe’s security forces need to comply with the country’s laws and regulations that uphold its international human rights obligations to ensure that elections are free and fair.”

For decades, Zimbabwe’s military and other state security forces have interfered in the nation’s political and electoral affairs in violation of citizens’ civil and political rights.

Zimbabwe’s constitution states that no member of the security services in exercising their functions may act in a partisan manner, further the interests of any political party, or cause or violate anyone’s fundamental rights or freedoms. However, senior members of the security forces have routinely ignored these provisions with impunity.

Human Rights Watch has challenged the government to “take urgent steps to end the military’s participation in partisan politics, including by disciplining or prosecuting military officers who violate laws and regulations that prohibit the security forces from directly supporting any political party”.

“Zimbabwe has a history of elections that fall far short of international and regional standards, characterized by the involvement of the military in deeply flawed electoral processes. The government has not remedied some of the flaws of the August 2023 election that Southern African Development Community (SADC) observers documented,” the organisation said in a statement.

“Election periods in Zimbabwe, especially in 1985, 1990, 2000, 2002, 2005, and 2008, were characterized by widespread political violence, committed mainly by ZANU-PF, its allies, and government security agencies, including sections of the army.

“These problems were particularly evident during the 2008 elections, when the army was credibly implicated in numerous systematic abuses that led to the killing of up to 200 people, the beating and torture of 5,000 more, and the displacement of 36,000.”

Lt. General Sanyatwe’s recent statements that militate against the holding of free, fair, and credible elections raise the urgency to carry out reforms to ensure that state security forces do not threaten future democratic elections and the electoral affairs of the country, the global rights watchdog added.

“SADC heads of state, who will meet on August 17 in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, for their 44th summit, should press the Zimbabwe government to ensure the political neutrality of its security forces and noninterference in the country’s civilian and electoral affairs.”

“Security force commanders need to speak and act in a manner that reflects a strictly neutral political position in accordance with Zimbabwe’s constitution and international law,” Ngari said.

“Authorities should take appropriate disciplinary action against officers in the security forces, regardless of rank, who violate laws and regulations prohibiting partisan conduct.”