MEDIA REACTION ZIM PRESIDENTIAL POLL; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 000600 SIPDIS AF/PD FOR COX AND ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT AND SCHLACHTER, AF/RA FOR SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ZIM PRESIDENTIAL POLL; HARARE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 00600 071434Z ¶1. UNDER HEADLINE "PLACING OBSTACLES IN THE WAY OF VOTERS," THE INDEPENDENT "DAILY NEWS" DEDICATED ITS MARCH 7 EDITORIAL CRITICIZING APPARENT EFFORTS BY THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE TO MAKE VOTING IN URBAN AREAS MORE DIFFICULT. EXCERPTS FOLLOW: "THE FAILURE BY BOTH THE REGISTRAR GENERAL'S OFFICE AND THE ELECTORAL SUPERVISORY COMMISSION (ESC) TO ADVISE VOTERS PROPERLY ON THEIR RESPECTIVE WARDS AND POLLING STATIONS IS ONE OF MANY ATTEMPTS TO CONFUSE THE ELECTORATE AND PREDETERMINE THE OUTCOME OF THIS WEEKEND'S MAYORAL, MUNICIPAL AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. WITH JUST TWO DAYS TO GO BEFORE VOTING STARTS, THERE HAS BEEN NO OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION OF WHAT VOTERS SHOULD DO IN ORDER TO AVOID UNNECESSARY FRUSTRATION. IN THE CASE OF MAYORAL AND MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IN CHITUNGWIZA AND HARARE, THE FAILURE MUST BE SEEN AS PART OF AN OVERALL STRATEGY TO CONFUSE THE ELECTORATE IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE RULING PARTY, ZANU PF'S GRIP IN THE TWO MAJOR URBAN CENTERS DOES NOT SUFFER AN INGLORIOUS DEMISE. ".FORCED DISENFRANCHISEMENT IS ANOTHER WEAPON IN THE ARSENAL OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THE RULING PARTY. IN THE URBAN AREAS THE LIKELIHOOD OF MORE PEOPLE BEING TURNED AWAY IS GOING TO BE HIGHER THAN ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY. THE REASON FOR THIS IS THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT TRUST THE SUPPORT OF THE URBAN VOTERS AND THEY WILL BE DOING THEIR DAMNEDEST TO ENSURE CITY DWELLERS DO NOT HAVE A FAIR CHANCE OF VOTING. . . THE DEMAND FOR PROOF OF RESIDENCY IS YET ANOTHER OBSTACLE. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 00600 071434Z . . THAT IS THE EXTENT TO WHICH GOVERNMENT HAS GONE IN ORDER TO SUBVERT THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO FREELY ELECT WHO SHOULD LEAD THIS COUNTRY." SULLIVAN UNCLASSIFIED >