Violence, laws prevent fair vote in Zimbabwe [Excerpt] Recent amendments to the election law forbid civic and religious organizations from monitoring the poll and from running voter education campaigns.
Military officers have been appointed to the election directorate, and only civil servants -- dependent on government jobs -- will be allowed to monitor the vote.
Seals will no longer be placed around the whole ballot box when it is moved to the counting station, but only around the opening. Since the new law allows the ballots to be transported in the absence of party representatives, many fear the boxes can be disassembled in transit.
"That gives the ruling party ample opportunity to stuff the ballot box. If that is not the case, why introduce such a law anyway?" asked Eliphas Mukonoweshuro, a professor at the University of Zimbabwe. [End Excerpt]