Fear evaporates as rural Zims flock to polls

MAKONDE - Francis Mushangwe tied his chicken to the fence around the polling station on the outskirts of Makonde before casting his vote in Zimbabwe's sixth general election on Saturday. 

An over-officious and unsympathetic policeman had told him that he could not take the chicken into the polling station. Francis had to choose between running the risk that his chicken might not be there when he returned or not vote at all. 
But like millions of Zimbabweans he was determined to vote. On emerging from the polling station and relieved to discover that his chicken was still there, he whispered the opposition slogan: Chinja - I have voted for change. 
Despite predictions of a win for the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai, Mashonaland West is no place to advertise one's opposition to President Mugabe's rule. During the terror that swept the countryside in the past two months, scores of opposition supporters have been harassed by marauding bands of self-styled war veterans and green bombers.
In the same province in Zvimba, Mugabe's home province, an opposition candidate's home was razed down by a Zanu (PF) mob two weeks ago. This province also encompasses Chegutu East, one of constituencies where the tally of voters on the roll (25059) does not tie up with the number of voters listed on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission list (31226).
The Zimbabwean was told Saturday that in this province, re-education camps were held across the region to bludgeon the electorate into voting for the ruling Zanu (PF).
Jefat Karemba, the Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC House of Assembly candidate for Makonde, has been under constant harassment by a suspected Zanu mob. He is standing against newspaper publisher Kindness Paradza, an independent candidate formely with Zanu (PF), Risipa Kapesa of Zanu (PF), and Sibangilizwe Nhlazi of the Mutambara MDC.
At a rural shopping centre in Makonde, a dozen, so-called war veterans and green bombers in brand new Zanu (PF) T-shirts had built their camp-fire near the polling station.
Staring menacingly at the long queue of voters, which snaked its way round the breeze block shacks, they contented themselves with drinking the local brew, Scud. Their work had already been done. 
You are wasting your time. The MDC will never rule this country," a bloodshot-eyed war veteran in a filthy red beret shouted. "We will never allow it."
For hours the voters ignored the rambling Zanu (PF) mob and continued queueing, sheltering under the lemon trees from the blistering heat, waiting for their turn to vote. The lines moved painfully slowly, but never seemed to diminish.  They kept coming in their thousands.
Women with babies strapped to their backs, old men hobbling on wooden sticks, and huge numbers of young people, few of whom have jobs and all of whom are voting for the first time. 
Scores were turned away after being told they could not vote because they were not on the electoral roll, their identity papers were not in order, or because the supplementary electoral roll, detailing late registrations, had failed to arrive.
Their details were meticulously recorded on forms headed Particulars of Persons Denied the Vote by the dutiful ZEC officials.
A rowdy gang of Zanu (PF) green bombers showed up at the polling station with orders to scare away the hundreds of voters waiting patiently at the school gates.
The youth militia noisily and provocatively jumped the queue then peeled off their jackets to reveal identical T-shirts emblazoned with Mugabe's face.
Punching the air, they chanted Zanu (PF) slogans and jabbed their boots at young women crouched on a grass verge accusing them of being opposition supporters.
For a few moments the hum of conversation was stilled. Then an elderly man who had been sitting on a brick wall stood up and shouted at the green bombers: "Your time is up, you are finished. It's the end of the road for your regime."
The militia scanned the faces of the crowd staring back at them. Only days ago these people would have run. Not any more. They stood their ground and the green bombers walked away.
The elderly Moses Chigwango, the man who had confronted the Zanu (PF) youths, told how 30 years ago he and President Mugabe were guerrillas in exile in Mozambique, fighting the chimurenga, or war of independence.
Ask this father of eight what he thinks of his old comrade now and he spits on the ground and says "traitor".
"I never thought I would see the day when we buy a loaf of bread for ZD20 million."
The scores of people around him nodded and shook his hand. There is a sense that the months of intimidation have failed to dent most Zimbabweans desire to rid themselves of Mugabe's regime, even here, a place touted as a ruling party stronghold.
Some risked their lives on Saturday to mark their cross on the four ballot papers.
At 7pm sharp, the polling station closed. And many said they eagerly await the results that they feel could change their lives for ever.