Terrorising his way to a majority

Back in April, Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change won a plurality in the Zimbabwean parliament, allowing them to pose the first real challenge to Mugabe's rule. But now that he's murdered and tortured and brutalised his way to "victory" in the presidential runoff election, Mugabe has turned his attention to regaining control of Parliament and cutting back the MDC's lead. How? By imprisoning, disappearing, and murdering them. Ten MDC MPs have already been arrested on trumped up charges, one has been disappeared and is presumed dead, and another was kidnapped in broad daylight by soldiers outside the High Court in Harare.

The opposition said the abduction is part of a strategy confirmed by a handwritten document obtained by the Guardian and drawn up by a senior Zimbabwean intelligence official for delivery to foreign observers, including a group of South African army generals sent to scrutinise the political violence. It says that opposition MPs are to be "silenced", jailed on charges of treason, and not allowed to move in their own constituencies.

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The ruling party's forces are also targeting the families of MPs they are unable to find. Five relatives of Festus Dumbu, MP for Zaka West, were abducted earlier this week, and are still missing, when the assailants discovered he was not at home.

As a result, many opposition MPS are now in hiding. Which is the point: to stop them from showing up to parliament and contesting the government's rule. And if they don't show up for long enough, they can be stripped of their seats and a by-election held. Mugabe is terrorising his way to a majority, and there seems to be little anyone can do about it.