via Daily News – Anti-Mugabe graffiti explodes in Harare
Fungi Kwaramba
HARARE – Graffiti has exploded across Zimbabwe’s capital Harare protesting the disputed results of the July 31 vote that saw President Robert Mugabe romp to a landslide victory.
After weighing the risk of staging mass action against Mugabe’s re-election and deciding to refrain from confrontation, graffiti alluding to the “stolen election” under the “Zanu PF dictatorship” has erupted everywhere, with others drifting toward a style questioning the continued leadership of Mugabe and Zanu PF.
Bottled up emotions had been kept in check after Tsvangirai urged his supporters to remain calm as he pursues peaceful means in order to overturn Mugabe’s victory.
Apart from going to the courts, the MDC is also preparing a dossier of alleged poll irregularities which it will hand-over to Sadc member states as proof that elections were rigged.
Several walls in Harare’s central business district and some high density suburbs such as Budiriro, Glen View and Mbare are littered with messages of protest against Mugabe’s landslide win which gives him another five year term.
Window panes of popular shops in the city centre have not been spared either. Some of the messages inscribed on the walls read, “Mugabe rigged elections, batai munhu: We want a re-run.”
Other graffiti messages are openly inciting Zimbabweans to rise up against the “Zanu PF regime”.
“Election fraud: Arise and protect your vote”.
The graffiti is mainly anti-Mugabe messages plastered on city walls, streets and billboards.
Some of the messages are scribbled on billboards located at main bus termini such as Market Square and Copa Cabana.
Anti-Mugabe graffiti in Zimbabwe is an outlaw art done in the cover of darkness.
Political analysts say the political propaganda is being fuelled by the “stolen election” and the contest for power in elections which Mugabe controversially won.
No-one has claimed responsibility for the messages.
Charity Charamba, the police spokesperson, said whoever was defacing walls through the damning graffiti was breaking the law.
“I haven’t seen the writings, but obviously it is a crime,” she warned.
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