Posted on 10/28/2002 12:09:01 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
HARARE, Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe's opposition accused ruling party militants and police of harassing its officials and barring its election agents from some voting stations on the first day of a two-day by-election in western Zimbabwe on Saturday.
The parliament seat for the rural district of Insiza, 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of Zimbabwe's second largest city, Bulawayo, became vacant after the August death of opposition lawmaker George Ndlovu.
State election officials refused to issue accreditation cards to opposition Movement for Democratic Change polling agents in some areas and at one police roadblock prevented agents from passing, said Paul Themba Nyathi, a party spokesman.
Some opposition polling agents were forced to remain outside the 100 meter (yard) boundary surrounding at least five polling stations and could not witness ballots being cast. Another agent, Sara Nyoni, was chased away from her post by ruling party militants threatening her with violence, Nyathi said.
Police were not immediately available for comment.
State radio, however, reported Saturday voting began "on a high note" and said there were no reports of violent incidents.
The campaign itself has been marred by violence.
One opposition activist was hospitalized after being shot by a gun fired by ruling party candidate Andrew Langa earlier this month, and eight opposition supporters were abducted in Insiza Friday and remain missing, Nyathi said.
Police said Langa fired a pistol into the ground to ward off opposition supporters chanting slogans outside his home and that the opposition supporter was hit by a ricochet.
Police arrested at least 66 opposition supporters during the campaign.
Amid worsening food shortages across Zimbabwe, Nyathi said ruling party officials had provided food to "bribe" voters.
On Oct. 18, the World Food Program said it suspended hunger relief efforts indefinitely in the Insiza district after ruling party activists threatened aid workers and seized donated grain.
The action marked the first time the WFP halted food distributions in Zimbabwe where President Robert Mugabe's government has been accused of using food as a political weapon. Human rights groups said it has been diverting food relief from some opposition strongholds.
An estimated 6.7 million Zimbabweans_ more than half the population - are in danger of starvation in the coming months.
The WFP has blamed the hunger in Zimbabwe on both a devastating drought and the government's often violent and haphazard policy of seizing land from white commercial farmers for distribution to poor blacks.
In the June 2000 parliamentary elections, Mugabe faced his most serious challenge since coming to power in 1980. The opposition won 57 seats to the ruling party's 62 in the race.
Mugabe had controlled all but three seats in the previous legislature.
The Movement for Democratic Change has since lost one seat after the death of another of its lawmakers.
Ruling party officials say victory in Insiza and a third seat left vacant by the death Tuesday in a jail cell of an opposition lawmaker, is an important step towards reducing the opposition's power in the 150-seat parliament.
Mugabe appoints 30 lawmakers and needs a two-thirds majority vote to change the nation's constitution. The opposition has blocked proposed constitutional changes. If the ruling party wins the two by-elections it will be four seats short of carrying a two-thirds vote.
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