Reporters gauge Zimbabwe mood

Zimbabwean reporters gauge the mood around the country after opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai decided to pull out of Friday's presidential run-off against President Robert Mugabe.

The reporters' names have not been used for their own safety.

MANICALAND

Morgan Tsvangirai's decision has been met with mixed reaction in the eastern border city of Mutare.

In 1980 we voted for [President Robert Mugabe's] Zanu-PF despite the intimidation by Ian Smith's security forces Charles Momberume Sakubva resident

Some residents supported the move, saying a free and fair poll had become impossible.

"There was no way Tsvangirai was going to win because his supporters have been cowed," said Herbert Dube, a resident of Dangamvura.

"He was not allowed to campaign and to move around freely, so the decision to pull out is good."

Teacher Dadirai Mawoyo said the levels of violence were too much and pulling out gives a clear message that there is no democracy in Zimbabwe.

But others believe it is too late for Tsvangirai to pull out.

"People were going to vote for him despite the violence," said Charles Momberume of the populous Sakubva suburb, pointing to Mr Mugabe's victory 28 years ago against the white minority government.

"Remember in 1980 we voted for [President Robert Mugabe's] Zanu-PF despite the intimidation by Ian Smith's security forces."

Mr Tsvangirai's withdrawal had betrayed Zimbabweans who were waiting to vote President Mugabe out, he said.

Mavis Gonzo, a vendor, said the international community should move in to help Zimbabweans whose rights were being trampled by President Mugabe and the Zanu-PF.

The residents spoke as Zanu-PF militants took their violent campaign into Sakubva.

The militants, moving in groups of 15 to 20 people went from door to door on Sunday evening, beating up suspected MDC supporters and sympathizers. Eight people were seriously injured.

On Friday, about 1,000 Zanu-PF youths descended on the city centre and blocked all roads, forcing motorists to chant Zanu-PF slogans.

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BULAWAYO

Morgan Tsvangirai's decision has been received with outrage and anger by MDC supporters in Bulawayo - one of Mr Tsvangirai's strongholds.

The first round vote was won by Mr Tsvangirai with 47% of the vote

They had been fired up to vote President Robert Mugabe out of power and criticised the decision, describing their leader as a coward who had abandoned his troops.

"I am heart-broken," said Themmbinkosi Mabhena, a science teacher. "I really don't understand how Tsvangirai's mindset works."

He said Mr Tsvangirai knew from the beginning to defeat President Mugabe, he would have to put his life on the line and that his supporters would be killed in the process.

There were scores of injured MDC supporters in hospitals across the country who had been eager to leave their beds on Friday to vote for Mr Tsvangirai.

"This is a misguided move by Tsvangirai and his backers," said political analyst Effie Ncube.

"If he wanted to boycott the election, he should have done it soon after the announcement of the results of the first round in March."

The news of his pull out came when some MDC supporters in Bulawayo were busy conducting house-to-house campaigns.

When one MDC official knocked on the door of one resident in Cowdray Park township, the owner sent them away, angry at Tsvangirai's decision.

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MATABELELAND SOUTH

In the rural areas of Matabeleland South, scores of war veterans and youth militias celebrated at their bases soon after getting news of Mr Tsvangirai's pull-out.

Zanu-PF have been campaigning across the country

MDC supporters also celebrated, saying at least life would get back to normal again.

The villagers were the ones who bore the brunt of the violent attacks by war veterans and militias.

This week, MDC supporters mobilised youths and villagers to carry out revenge attacks against pro-Mugabe war veterans and their families.

MDC officials said youths armed with traditional weapons had overwhelmed the war veterans, and five veterans were reportedly taken to hospital with serious injuries.

"From now onwards we are not going to fold our hands when attacked by war veterans," said one MDC youth leader. "Our supporters will defend themselves and their parents."

Tsvangirai is like a small ant to us War veteran

On Saturday, villagers in Plumtree begged MDC officials to tell Mr Tsvangirai to suspend the run-off and save the lives of his supporters.

MDC officials and election agents were evicted from Tshitshi and Guquka villages.

Also evicted was football team coach, Guduza Sibanda, who was accused of assembling youths for MDC meetings even when it was clear they were training.

One war veteran wondered if Mr Tsvangirai ever thought he would win.

"We defeated the well-armed Rhodesian army during the war. Tsvangirai is like a small ant to us, that's why he has decided to pull out because the heat was becoming too much for him."

Former rebels who were known as dissidents in the 1980s also joined Zanu-PF supporters and militias in celebrating Mr Tsvangirai's withdrawal from the race.

Two buses loaded with Zimbabweans from South Africa who were on their way home to vote on Friday turned back after hearing the news.

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MASHONALAND WEST

Mr Tsvangirai's decision brought relief to most opposition party supporters.

Although the province has been one of the ruling party's strongholds, the opposition snatched five seats in the March elections.

How can I be an independent observer when I have ruling party regalia against my will?" Election observer

Newly resettled farmers in Tengwe who had been targeted as MDC supporters, heaved a sigh of relief.

''It's a bold decision by Tsvangirai as we were being threatened by soldiers to be grouped at one polling station, so that we could be evicted if anyone voted for MDC in the run-off,'' said one resettled farmer.

Farm labourers around Hurungwe East said they had been concerned about the run-off because of a campaign of terror against the opposition, led by Zanu-PF militants.

''It could have been worse for us as MDC could not have won in the current political environment,'' said a farm labourer Edward Makanga.

Local observers from Zimbabwe Election Support Network, Zesn, who were accused of supporting MDC, were not spared either as some were forced to put on Zanu-PF regalia in Karoi at the weekend.

They said their neutrality had been compromised after they lost one of their colleagues, Elliot Machipisa, murdered by suspected Zanu-PF supporters in Karuru last Tuesday.

''How can I be an independent observer when I have ruling party regalia against my will?" said one observer.

"Our conduct was compromised if elections were to be held as we are forced to show support of one contesting party''.

The MDC say that 86 of its members have been killed

Later, an observer team from the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) was held for some 45 minutes by Zanu-PF supporters at a farm about 20km (13 miles) outside Karoi.

Zanu-PF youths also abducted MDC councillor-elect Lavender Chiwaya at his house on Tuesday morning.

MDC national executive member Biggie Haurobi intervened to rescue Mr Chiwaya, who sustained injuries to his back and face.

Mr Haurobi was later detained "for inciting violence", a police official said.

MDC election agents said they had feared for their lives in a run-off where ruling party members, war veterans and soldiers were recruited as presiding officers.

Sex workers in Karoi who were marched to attend night vigils from Saturday said Mr Tsvangirai's withdrawal was ''going to save them from obvious rape by Zanu-PF youths''.

One police officer complained that ''untrained neighbourhood officers were recruited for elections for easy manipulation of votes in favour of Mugabe".

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MASHONALAND EAST

Some people in Marondera have welcomed Morgan Tsvangirai's withdrawal, saying this was the only reasonable choice since no free and fair election was possible.

Thousands have been displaced in the post-poll violence

"I support him fully because how do you go into an election where you are barred from campaigning, when your supporters are being beaten and pursued day and night," said Richard Ruzvidzo in the Yellow suburb.

It is up to the international community, especially the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc), to resolve the crisis in Zimbabwe, he said.

Febbie Katiyo of the Cherutombo suburb says Mr Tsvangirai's withdrawal will put an end to violence, but "the issue is now more suffering under Mugabe".

But others were disappointed by Mr Tsvangirai's decision.

"Right from the start they knew the kind of person they were dealing with," said Evelyn Mutisi.

"They must participate. We are tired of these threats to pull out of elections."

The MDC secretary for Mashonaland East, Kubvuruno Choga, said his party had not been able to campaign because of the violence.

They had been limited to distributing flyers during the night, he said.

"It was dangerous to do this, we could not have meetings or do anything so I think the leadership took a good decision."

The MDC says 22 of its supporters have been killed and more than 100 are unaccounted for in the province, with thousands more displaced.

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MASVINGO

Many people in Masvingo have welcomed the decision by the MDC to withdraw from the presidential run-off.

President Robert Mugabe has vowed to go ahead with Friday's vote

"The decision is a wise one", said Shaba Mandebvu.

"How can the MDC go into an election when it is not allowed to campaign?"

Despite the withdrawal, two more people were killed on Sunday in Mwenezi district as war veterans and Zanu-PF party supporters celebrated the news with more violence.

The bodies of the two victims from Maranda village - Stanley Mapuranga and John Dube, both known MDC supporters - were taken to the Neshuro district hospital mortuary in Mwenezi.

Police said they were investigating the deaths.

MDC Mwenezi district co-ordinator Charles Muzenda, whose home was also reduced to ashes during the run-up to the polls, said he had fled the area following Mr Tsvangirai's withdrawal.

People who have personal scores are killing each other under the guise of political violence Vice-President Joyce Mujuru

"I am also living in hiding since I have received word that they are after my life following the MDC withdrawal from the race," he said.

Hordes of Zanu-PF supporters in trucks moved around the district celebrating the news, expecting that President Mugabe would be declared the automatic winner.

Meanwhile, the ruling Zanu-PF party continued with its campaign in Masvingo yesterday.

Vice-President Joyce Mujuru dissociated her party from the ongoing violence, saying attack were being perpetrated by "people who masquerade as ruling party supporters".

"People who have personal scores are killing each other under the guise of political violence," she said.

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HARARE

Residents of the capital have given a mixed reaction.

A businessman said it was a wise decision because "the election was not going to prove anything at all.

Morgan Tsvangirai's campaign has been dramatically halted

"Mugabe was going to win the election through fraud and violence and this would not have changed anything."

But a staunch member of the MDC said the pull-out was "regrettable".

"I think Tsvangirai was going to win, despite the violence."

Others said the opposition had let the nation down, as many people had placed their hopes in the June 27 election.

Many people felt the pull-out would at least end the violence, which on Sunday saw hundreds of MDC supporters who had tried to attend a rally injured or robbed.

"Now we don't know what to do next," said Harare banker Charles Gwatidzo, a remark that was echoed by others.

Lawyer Peter Munamato complained about the money spent on the campaign while people were "starving" in rural areas.

Mr Munamato and Mr Gwatidzo both said the pull-out could be bad for business.

"Many people had put on hold business plans hoping that the election would usher in a more favourable climate. But now there is uncertainty about the future," said Mr Gwatidzo.

A Zanu-PF supporter and beneficiary of the government farm mechanisation programme said the MDC was a party of cowards.

"They knew they would lose the elections. That is why they pulled out," he said.

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MATABELELAND NORTH

There had been no indication that the elections were going to be held on Friday, because no posters of candidates had yet been put up around Matabeleland North.

He should have participated in the elections in sympathy with the victims John Moyo of Lupane business centre

Mr Tsvangirai's pull-out has received mixed reactions, with some saying his decision was long overdue, while others said he should have ignored Mr Mugabe's campaign to retain power and continued with elections that he was likely to win.

"Many MDC supporters have been killed, tortured, maimed, harassed, abused and raped, with their homes torched while their cattle were killed or eyes removed whilst they were alive," said John Moyo of the Lupane business centre.

"He should have participated in the elections in sympathy with the victims."

But former combatant and losing MDC senatorial candidate, Maj Moses Sivalo, applauded Mr Tsvangirai's decision, saying it had exposed Mr Mugabe's ruthlessness and brutality.

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