JOHANNESBURG – The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has called on the state to prosecute the country’s top military commander, General Constantine Chiwenga, for allegedly threatening voters to back President Robert Mugabe in elections at the month-end. 

The General was earlier this week quoted by local press as having said Mugabe’s rivals in the presidential election, Morgan Tsvangirai and Simba Makoni, are sell-outs and agents of the West’s regime change agenda in Zimbabwe. 

Chiwenga, who is commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) that comprises the army and air force, is said to have declared that the military would not salute anyone else except Mugabe, in what analysts said was a clear threat to stage a military coup in the event the veteran leader lost the March 29 polls. 

The ZLHR said Chiwenga’s statements were a violation of Sections 133B (c) and 134 (3) (b) of the Electoral Act that make it a criminal offence to intimidate people to vote for a particular candidate or use undue influence to force people to vote or not vote during an election. 

In addition, Chiwenga had also breached Southern African Development Community (SADC) guidelines under which member states are obliged to ensure that elections adhere to the principles of freedom of association and political tolerance, the lawyers’ body said. 

“Commander Chiwenga’s statements serve to directly intimidate both members of the ZDF and the electorate, through implied threats of violence, from voting freely for a presidential candidate of their choice, as is their right,” the ZHLR said a statement. 

“It is therefore clear that the ZDF Commander is in breach of the law and the regional guidelines, and should be prosecuted by the appropriate authorities forthwith,” it added. 

Both Zimbabwe Electoral Commission spokesman Shupikai Mashereni and acting Attorney General Bharat Patel were not immediately available to shed light on what, if any, action would be taken against Chiwenga. 

But this is not the first time that top security commanders have attempted to dictate how Zimbabweans should vote. In 2002 the commanders of the army, air force, police, prison and secret services announced just before presidential elections that year that they would not salute a leader who did not fight in the country’s 1970’s independence war. 

This was again seen as a threat to overthrow Tsvangirai if he defeated Mugabe. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change party leader did not fight in the liberation war. 

The military is credited with keeping Mugabe in power, always ready to use brutal tactics to keep public discontent in check in the face of an economic meltdown that has spawned hyperinflation and shortages of food, fuel, essential medicines, hard cash and just about every basic survival commodity. 

Political analysts say support from the military as well as a skewed political playing field is enough to ensure victory for Mugabe despite Zimbabwe’s deepening hunger and economic crisis. - ZimOnline