Police guarantee peaceful voting

Harare (New Ziana)- The Zimbabwe Republic Police has put in place a cocktail of measures to ensure that next week’s harmonised elections are held in a peaceful environment, Commissioner General Godwin Matanga said on Wednesday.

Matanga, who was briefing election observers, said save for a few isolated incidents of politically motivated violence, the electoral period has largely been peaceful, a guarantee that the country will hold credible polls.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police has put in place a cocktail of measures to ensure that the elections are held in a conducive environment that facilitates free, fair, peaceful and credible elections. The period leading up to elections has thus far been generally peaceful.

“However, we have witnessed some few isolated incidents of both intra and inter party politically motivated violence,” he said.

One of the incidents took place in the capital recently, where an opposition Citizens Coalition for Change supporter lost his life.

The matter is still in the courts, while a post-mortem is also expected to be conducted.

Matanga said the police has since deployed adequate officers across the country to ensure that the peace being experienced in the country prevails until after the polls.

“We have deployed adequate officers. In addition, we have roped in Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services officers so that we boost our deployments. We want to assure the observer missions that safety is guaranteed. We will continue to monitor the situation,” he said.

Zimbabweans go to the polls next Wednesday to elect the President, National Assembly members and representatives for local authorities.

The election will use new delimitation boundaries.

New Ziana