According to the Heal Zimbabwe Trust community update, a headman in Gutu West has threatened MDC-T campaigners that the ZANU-PF party is going to install hidden CCTV cameras in every house in the area. This is a scary threat for everyone (just look at the trouble the states got into when Edward Snowden decided to have his five minutes of fame), and for the MDC-T campaigners it must have been terrifying, but thinking about the logistics of this makes you snigger. They are saying a government, which can’t even provide power to its capital city for 24 hours is going to set up CCTV cameras? I would love to know where the funds for this one would come from, since apparently we don’t have enough money to complete our mobile registration. The threats that are coming out are ludicrous and completely unrealistic, and yet they have struck such deep fear into so many thousands of people who want something as simple as a peaceful and credible election!

Zimbabwe’s 2013 election is in 9 days time, and political party posters are papering the streets. As Bev Clark pointed out last week, Zanu PF’s tactic seems to be to plaster their posters on private property (and the occasional large rock).  Whilst clearly that has its problems, the MDC posters I saw this weekend covering up advertising for artisans and informal business people isn’t much better.

With formal employment being so scarce in Zimbabwe, many people have taken to informal employment, and advertise their services on trees. As this blog by Lenard Kamwendo demonstrates, key cutters, plumbers, electricians and more all find a place on Harare’s streets – and trees. If the MDC were serious about Jobs, Upliftment, Investment Capital and the Environment (JUICE) and the promises it makes in its 2013 election manifesto to tackle unemployment, you’d think it would be promoting these enterprising individuals, not covering up their advertising to further their own political agendas.

With just 12 days to go before Zimbabwe’s 2013 Harmonised Elections, Kubatana’s SMS subscribers have been sharing their concerns, observations, citizen reports and on-the-ground anecdotes with us. They share their thoughts on special voting, the electoral environment, intimidation and more. Here are some more of their reports and feedback:

• Tasangana nechallenge kuno.1 of our member atorerwa t-shirt nemunhu we Zanu anonzi Alice Chiwara, Arex office. plz lets teach her a lesson, tibetserei Zv east w20 (We have faced a challenge he in Zvimba East Ward 20, where one of our members had his t-shirt taken by a Zanu member Alice Chiwara, Arex office. Please let us teach her a lesson)
• ZEC can be ready any time, the problem is probably that it is partisan
• Special voting is a step towards rigging
• Did MDC tighten everything? Are these thieves not going to steal again? Have u people noticed that 50% of MDC supporters don’t want to be known just of victimisation, 30% go to MDC rallies then 25% go to Zanu-PF. only 5% is actual Zanu, so they wont win they just rig to tell the truth. If MDC don’t wake up they wont win
• Ndirikuona mai veZanu mai Sengerai vachifamba vachikorokodza madzimai eChishamiso Hippo Valley Chiredzi vachiti hendei tinozorabwa kurally (In Hippo Valley, Chiredzi I am witnessing a Zanu member Mrs Sengerai encouraging all women to go and attend a rally or they will be beaten)
• We need observers at polling station. Make sure those who vote today don’t vote on 31 July. Check that it’s a tradition.
• More police officer and teacher returned without casting vote in Chinhoyi Cocksey Hall on close of special votes at around 1900hrs. Complained of time wasted while queuing to cast their vote, names were being called in batch of ten with a delaying tactic. They questioned what is going to happened with their vote when deployed to other constituency
• Zec must put its house n order. I think zec is a zanu pf electoral branch cant do fair things.
• Massive vote rigging as hundreds civil servants were turned away before casting votes at Rusape DA’s Boardroom.
• Mt Darwin North Total Special voters Only 90 cast their votes.
• Tiriku mwenezana estater hatizivi vekuvhotera kubva kuna counsellor, mp tongoziva pres Tsvangirai chete takaputirwa kuno (We are in Mwenezana Estate – We do not know the candidates from councillor to MP. All we know is the presidential candidate Tsvangirai)
• Kuno kwaSadza Chikomba East all police wives voted yesterday but are not officers and will vote again 31 July
• Lets not create Tsvangirai another Mugabe monster
• Met a certain Councillor (Zanu-pf) in a lift who said things r tuff their r dwelling on T.B Joshua’s prophecy to redeem them
• People are being threatened by Zanu-PF youth being led by Matangira (Bindura North candidate) and some neighbourhood members chanting their slogan day and night.
• Taona moto kunoku Mudzi Nyamatawa school nemisanga yemusango yeZanu (We are being troubled here in Mbudzi, Nyamatawa school by Zanu PF rallies)
• Special vote was chaotic only soldiers and policeman were allowed to vote as their names were found on the voters role but the civil servant who represent as the polling agent their names were not found on the voters role so they did not vote
• All teachers in ward 15 in Chipinge district are forced to wear Zanu pf party regalia.
• Thanks for sending updates, with much gratitude we would like to here more about election as an MDC-t activist I am over optimistic. Wedza
• Its a chance for  Mberengwa North to choice Takavafira Zhou as a good candidate for development
• No posters for presidential candidate in Mhondoro Ngezi constituency.
• Are we ready for elections or we are forcing situations?
• Sadc and African union must help us to hold credible elections Zanu pf is trying all tricks to rig these elections viv tsvangson wakapinda
• I very am happy with manifesto I saw today and it leads us to proper life just at the corner
• Al special votes should be condemned. Police officers should be allowed cast their vote at polling station they are manning.
• Aspiring zanu pf  mp in Buhera central put posters at Chirozva clinic ward 23 last week. MDC-T did the same this week. Zanu-pf supporters threatening powerless nurses.
• Our MP Chiminya buy his car with our 50000 ward 21Masvingo and paint some schools outside only
• Why M.P Chombo has closed Kamwaza Beerhall coz its rented by an independent cand who has teamed up with his ex-wife, why he allows Zanu heavyweights Chapanduka, Mahachi, Mutenga, Mai Joe and Dzunga to harass people in Kamwaza
• Why are ballot boxes being opened tomorrow?Why are those who failed to vote no longer able to do so when it was Zec’s failure to provide stationery and speedy service. I feel Zec is biased and elections shld be stopped since rigging has started. They will delay even the results.
• Everyone is confident of winning in the polls. Interestingly, all candidates are emphasising on  peaceful, free & fair elections & urging supporters to refrain from inhuman & violent acts in the run up to harmonised elections.
• The just ended mobile voter registration exercise was a disgrace laden with irregularities & left many people unregistered. Its publicity was poor& other wards were left out which caused failure of voters to register. Former aliens were being misinformed& requested to pay more. Unnecessary delays& unbecoming conduct by the registering teams were the order of the day& there is exigent need to extend the exercise in order to accommodate all eligible voters.
• Against a background where a lot of town dwellers were denied the chance to register due to orchestrated delays by officials from the registry.
• Kana zvichinetsa zve voters roll ko 1980 takavoter isipo wani ngati vote pasina voters nechitupa chokuratidza kuti uri muZimbabwean chete (If the voters roll is in shamble, why don’t we just vote the way we did in 1980 with mere proof of Zimbabwean identity)
• No need to run an election with things in shambles.
• Ko vana vatanga kuita toitoi vachigara mumabase zviripamutemo here? (Is it legal for people to stay in bases and start singing revolutionary songs?) They are doing day & night patrols together with girls & boys. Hakusi kushungurudza vana here? (Is this not child abuse) Is this free & fare election? People are forced to vote for Zanu pf. Where is Mr peace, justice, love & harmony. Vasikana vachapiwa mimba, AIDS & POVERTY!! (You girls are going to be impregnated, infected with AIDS and Poverty)
• How can the voters roll be corrected so that we free and fair elections? It’s something very worrisome. Where are we heading to?
• In Mberengwa, there were two centres for special voting. That is Mataga growth point and Mberengwa District offices. Only less than 100 teachers and ploice officers managed to vote out of 360 applicants. Again, it is not clear how teachers were chosen  to be  special voters. Lists of teachers were just sent to schools without explanation how they were  chosen. The sad part of it is that teachers wasted a lot of money  travelling to Zec offices to fill forms, photo their id cards and pay for food  during the process. On the voting day, they again used their money to travel to  voting centres only to find that there were no ballot boxes. They used their money to buy food and travel back to their schools. The sad part of it is that history may repeat itself on the 31st of july. Again, it was not clear how those who managed to vote were given the first preference. It was not first come first serve.
• Till when shall we put up with lies & retrogressive ideas that leave our country in a political & economic quagmire? Propaganda & down playing each other takes us nowhere in regards to real & sound development.
• Supporters of Marian Chombo who rents council buildings, rental contracts are being  terminated by Zvimba council because of supporting Marian in Raffingora.
• I think the voting prossece whichi is hapening here is a clear indication that this is the way of rigging since in rural areas is faster than Urban where ZANU PF rules the roost this should be solved before 31 of this month thats shows a total rigging
• In Marondera West all civil servants are being forced to attend a Zanu PF rally at Mahusekwa Growth Point at 11am 19/07/13
• In Mberengwa,political violence can start any time particularly in Mberengwa South constituency under Chief Mketi.  Zimbabweans, just imagine what happened yesterday. Chief Mketi whose really name is Gwativenga Mathethu Ngwenya together with an ex -soldier by the name Harris Dube visited Tino Hove, an Mdc-t supporter and threatened him with unspecied action because he failed to take a zanu pf t-shirt a  day before when they were distributed by zanu pf supporters at a rally. Please warn this partian chief.
• Mushamva  canceler  we  MDC  awonanhamo  ne  vanhu ve zanu   pf  anojungwa jungwa  ne  chigunwe   ngavarege  nhanya  munzira  va chiyimba  zvinokonzera  noiz (In Shamva MDC Councillor is being victimised by Zanu-PF. They poke him with their fingers in his face. They move around singing making noise)
• Shamva  hayibvumire  t  shert ye  MDC (You are not allowed to put on an MDC t-shirt in Shamva)
• Nhamo yedu kuno kuBuhera yanyanya. 2013 nanhasi from Buhera to Mutare mabhazi anosumuka before 12 midnight osvika kuma3 maMutare. Kuitawohere hakunawo mutemo unocontroler maoperator awa here? (We are suffering here in Buhera and its too much. We are in 2013 and the buses from Buhera to Mutare leave before midnight and they arrive in Mutare at 3am. Aren’t there any laws that can control these transport operators)
• Sadc and au should help us zanu pf wants to rig this looming election but we should resist by all means necessary
• If zec fails to provide enough voting material for the cops, what about for the whole country?
• Mashonaland centril Bindura Chipadze t/ship  vanhuvarikutorerwa tu slip twekuvotesa neve zanu pf (Mashonaland Central, Bindura, Chipadze t/shp – Zanu pf is taking voting slips for the people)
• 192 out of 196 special  voters  votes. Returned away 99 Reg BUT no envelopes at Nyamhunga polling Kariba

Want to vote for a party that believes private property is fair game for their promotional political posters? Where’s the respect Zanu PF? Oh sorry, not sure you can even spell that word. I drove past a lot of houses this morning that had had their walls plastered with Zanu PF posters; sometimes gates to properties had been Zanu’d as well. So now … if you support Zanu PF, or the MDC and want their posters on your wall or gate, all well and good. But if you don’t, have the bollocks to remove them.

It’s your right.

A wisecrack wrote during Soviet Russia’s communist years that in every hotel room in Russia there is a television, only the television watches you.

I recalled this when a I read about the presidential mouth, George Charamba, frothing over the announcement of 1st TV and that government was looking for ways to “cripple this pirate television broadcast station.”

These men would be comfortable having TVs that do the watching because their paranoia knows no bounds.

But then we already know that Zanu PF honchos love watching themselves on TV, warts and all – literally!

Zimbabweans surely know well enough what they want without relying on “hostile media” that “demonises” Mugabe and Zanu PF.

For God’s sake, these are the same people who extol Zimbabwe’s literacy but still believe that these same educated people cannot make up their own minds without coaching by the British and the Americans! That must be the ultimate insult.

And these are the same people, along with the permanently egregious Tafataona Mahoso who in 2011 infuriated Cont Mhlanga when he (Mahoso) said TV licences would only be granted in 2013.

Well, this is 2013!

To quote Cont: “I fail to understand that man (Mahoso) – where did he get his education from? He thinks we are so gullible and he seems happy to announce that after 31 years of having one broadcasting station, we still need two more years in that state. That is abnormal to say the least. After the announcements I wondered whether we were a normal country. We cannot go on having a single station and even other countries in SADC are taken aback by the way we think because in their countries they is (sic) not scared to have more operating stations. We are seriously abnormal if we continue to live like this.”

There you have it.