| Prison Guard Records Voter Intimidation in Zimbabwe A guard working for the Harare central jail in Zimbabwe recorded footage of voter intimidation and smuggled it out of the country when he fled with his family. STORY: Harare central jail a few days before last month's presidential run-off in Zimbabwe. This film - shot in secret by a prison guard - shows how he and his co-workers were summoned by their boss and told to fill in postal ballots in front of Zanu-PF activists. Guard Shepherd Yuda recording, the prison officers give their voter identification numbers to their superintendent, who guides them along in this excerpt of the piece for Guardian Films. [Documentary Voice-over]: (do not titlebar) "The atmosphere in the room seems benign but it's deceptive. Everyone voting knows that Shambira has the power to condemn them as MDC supporters. All secrecy is betrayed. Finally it is Shepherd Yuda's turn. He holds the ballot paper up to the camera and under the eyes of Superintendent Shambira, he has little choice but to vote for Mugabe. Watch how delicately Shambira helps. This is how the votes were rigged." [Shambira, Prison Superintendent]: "There is a number at the back of your voting paper; can you read it out to me?" [Sheperd Yuda, Prison Officer]: "00196165" [Documentary Voice Overlay]: "Watched as they mark their ballot." Guard Shepherd Yuda says he decided to shoot the film after the murder of his uncle, an opposition activist. [Sheperd Yuda, Prison Officer]: "I decided to leave Zimbabwe. It is a painful decision that I should leave." Also captured In his six days of secret filming, opposition official Tendai Biti in the red tracksuit, awaiting trial on charges of treason, here his leg irons being taken off. Yuda smuggled the film out of Zimbabwe as President Robert Mugabe was claiming victory with 90 per cent of the vote. Tags: Prison Guard Records Voter Intimidation in Zimbabwe election ntd ntdtv news |