HARARE. Zimbabwe’s police say they are ready to defend democracy at all costs during Saturday’s election, even if it means shooting voters or blowing up polling stations. Police chief Papsmear Motombo says his officers have also been thoroughly briefed on how to avoid embarrassing incidents. “You shoot the reporters first,” he told observers.
International monitors have been concerned in recent days about the number of police being deployed around polling stations, but Motombo explained that Zimbabwe’s voters have nothing to fear.
“The torch of democracy needs help to remain alight. If we intervene, it will only be to keep that guttering light a-flicker.”
He said this could be done with kerosene, incendiary tracer bullets, and, in some cases, napalm.
Motombo also promised police assistance at polling stations around the country. This would include two officers in each booth, checking that voters have made a mark next to Robert Mugabe’s name and filled in multiple duplicates in the same way; and a sound-proofed police caravan in which voters would confirm their names, addresses and pension numbers.
He said these checks were “essential in a democratic context, in case we find irregularities in voting and need to revisit certain spur-of-the-moment voting decisions.”
Asked if he expected many spoiled ballots, Motombo said that they were part of any election in Zimbabwe.
“Yes, there are always thousands of spoiled ballots,” he said. “Usually it is from blood or brain fluid. It makes the ink run, you see.”
