Election Judgments - IFES

4 HMA 36-18 HC 263/18 placards with political messages, and of a school bus that had been used to ferry supporters. He filed a supporting affidavit. • Another political rally was held by the first respondent on 9 June 2018 at a primary school called Chinzanga in Mashonaland East Province. • Yet another rally was held by the first respondent on Friday, 15 June 2018 in Masvingo. All provincial and district spoliing activities scheduled for that day were postponed indefinitely. A screenshot of the "WhatsApp" message dispatched by the Provincial Education Director for the province to members of the first applicant two days before the rally read: "Afternoon colleagues. Be advised that all provincial and district competitions set for Friday 15/06/18 have been postponed to a date tba since His Excellence the President of Zimbabwe will be visiting the province. Please note that your buses may be requested for the function. Thanks." [5] The applicants avetTed that they had a reasonable apprehension these violations were set to continue, especially as the country was heading for the general elections on 30 July 2018. The violations were said to be continuing despite the new dispensation obtaining in Zimbabwe. In this regard, I take judicial notice of the seismic changes in the top leadership of the first respondent, and of government inN ovember 2017 when the then first secretary of the first respondent and sitting President of the Republic - Mr Robert Gabriel Mugabe - resigned after an unintermpted thirty seven years in power since the country's independence from Britain in 1980. He was replaced by one of the Vice-Presidents- Mr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa. [6] The applicants further avetTed that the violations were continuing despite the recommendations by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission in its report. The key recommendation was that political parties in Zimbabwe should adopt a code of conduct the provisions of which should include the following: • The prevention of misuse and manipulation of school children at political rallies and ensuring that their attendance is free, safe and well protected. • Keeping school premises free of political meetings and other activities and desisting from the practice of coercing school children to paliicipate in any political gatherings and demonstrations.