In this Report, the Zimbabwe Peace Project presents facts and figures relating to politically-related violence during the month of July 2013. According to the ZPP, the period under review recorded the least number of violations in
the last three months with 496 violations. Manicaland with 115 violations had the highest violations
followed by Masvingo (78) Mashonaland West (64). Matebeleland North had the lowest figures
recording just 10 violations. Indeed, the country projected a semblance of ‘peace and tranquillity’,
may be, the people understood the peace messages from the political leadership. However “peace is not the absence of physical violence”, therefore when assessing the pre-election environment that existed, the need to look at other variables
other than just one aspect of physical violence becomes paramount, for example, the presence and
partisan actions of structures such as war veterans, military personnel, the police, terror bases,
traditional leaders and denial of food have to be considered in order to clearly judge the environment
as just, free and fair. Read more: ZPP Monthly Monitor July 2013