Zimbabwe to establish special election courts

HARARE - Zimbabwe will establish special courts to deal with cases of political violence during the forthcoming elections, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) said Thursday.

Acting chairperson Joyce Kazembe told news agency New Ziana in an interview that special magistrates and electoral courts would be set up to try cases of politically-motivated violence in elections set ostensibly for the first half of 2013.

Warning that punishment on culprits would be severe, she said the special courts would deal with complaints of electoral offences raised by aggrieved political parties.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission would also attend to grievances from disgruntled political parties and candidates, she added.

"There shall be special magistrates' courts and electoral courts set by the Chief Justice to address and deal with election related cases," said Kazembe.

The Code of Conduct for political parties, she said, was clear on what would happen if it was violated.

She said ZEC had held workshops with all 23 political parties in the country to familiarize them with the election Code of Conduct and the Electoral Act so they could avoid violating electoral laws.

Among other things, the political parties are expected to form multi-party liaison committees to deal with conflict resolution in line with the Code of Conduct and the Electoral Act.

The committees will be at national, provincial, district and ward levels.

"We have engaged the organ of National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration, the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee, Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, Zimbabwe Media Commission and Zimbabwe Republic Police.

"They have already set up a small committee that will lay the groundwork on how we can collaborate together to combat any conflict within the society so that it does not degenerate into violence," Kazembe said.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in 2008 withdrew from the presidential election race alleging that his supporters were being subjected to acts of political violence.

President Robert Mugabe has of late been emphasizing on citizens co-existing despite their political affiliations.