The political violence that is reportedly being perpetrated by Zanu PF has been slammed by the European Union at a time when Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change has revealed that at least 50 of the party’s activists have been killed while several others have been displaced.

The powerful European trade and partnership grouping has also said that it will tighten visa and financial sanctions against officials of President Robert Mugabe’s government since 2002 as a way of punishment for human rights violations and rigging elections.

“The EU strongly condemns the state-sponsored campaign of violence and intimidation against Zimbabweans that has been increasing throughout the prolonged electoral process and calls for an immediate end to the beatings, tortures, killings and other human rights abuses,” reads a communiqué by the EU’s external relations council yesterday.

The EU council urged Zimbabwean electoral authorities to ensure all candidates and supporters are able to participate safely and fully in the electoral process, adding that the EU was ready to observe the run-off election if invited.

“The EU remains ready to deploy an EU election observation mission, if the right conditions are met, yet the EU notes that no invitation has been made to the EU as of today,” the council said.

In the parliamentary vote conducted on the same day, March 29, the people of Zimbabwe also voted overwhelmingly for the MDC in the parliamentary vote as the opposition managed to wrest the majority of the votes but shockingly, the new parliament has not yet been sworn in nor has it started convening.

The government, however, denies the charges despite mounting evidence to the contrary.

The state-run Herald, which was hacked by technical pundits for more than three days this week, has over the past few years embarked on a scathing attack and loads daily accusations against Western nations.

Zanu Pf officials also claim that foreign ambassadors are on a campaign of demonising Zimbabwe's government and "cooking up" evidence of political violence to help the MDC remove Mugabe after 28 years in power.

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