Zimbabwe election observers report problems three months ahead of poll

Source: AP

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) - Impoverished Zimbabwean farmers have to show they are loyal members of the ruling party if they want free equipment the government is offering, and opposition supporters have been threatened with dogs, independent democracy monitors said Thursday.

. . .

Zimbabwe Election Support Network observers reported in the Masvingo district in southern Zimbabwe, ox-drawn plows being distributed by the government were allocated only to people holding cards showing they were dues-paying members of the ruling ZANU PF party and who could chant three party slogans. The local governor said that donated plows would be taken away in districts won by opposition candidates, the network reported.

In the central district of Gokwe, villagers were told they would not have to pay for plows as long as the ruling party won the March polls, the report said. The distributions were part of a Reserve Bank program begun in November to get 120,000 plows, tens of thousands of donkey carts, seeds and other equipment into farmers' hands to revive crop production and end acute food shortages in the former regional breadbasket.

The election report said in Zaka in southeastern Zimbabwe, a ruling party councilman threatened to set dogs on opposition supporters in his area. In the southwestern community of Silobela, traditional leaders «indicated they do not welcome opposition supporters in their areas.

The election support network reported that although campaigning was still low key, observers reported cases of violence and of voters being forced to attend a ruling party rally in December.



Read more: http://www.pr-inside.com/zimbabwe-election-observers-report-problems-r380229.htm

your "war veterans" have probably already stolen them and their being sold for scrap in South Africa, just like every other piece of farming equipment in the country.