Intimidation and violence are being reported by Tearfund partners across Zimbabwe as uncertainty about the election results continues.
Staff inside the country are also encountering hostility to the work of overseas charitable and voluntary organisations by the authorities.
Tension remains high as today has seen the start of a general strike called by the opposition MDC in protest at the continued delay in the release of the presidential poll results.
At a regional summit in Zambia at the weekend, the leaders of several southern African countries called for the results of the 29 March elections to be made public quickly.
Zimbabwe’s electoral authorities have responded by saying they are pressing ahead with ballot box recounts.
The effect of the uncertainty is being widely felt, with many reports of beatings being suffered by people who voted for opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
Violence is being reported by Tearfund partners across the country, particularly in places where recounts have been requested.
One partner said, `There needs to be some watchful eye in each place where they want to do a recount as the violence is worst in those areas.
`The feeling is the authorities are planning to force people with fear of whatever to put Robert Mugabe back in.’
Hunger
Zimbabwe’s stumbling economy has for a long time been unable to feed its people and the current crisis seems to be making matters worse.
`There is no maize or roller meal around not even in Harare, it is desperate,’ said the partner, although food programmes like those run by Tearfund are striving to feed people where possible.
However the climate of fear is making life difficult for overseas NGOs like Tearfund. In some cases, staff have been threatened.
As a result aid work is being conducted as quietly as possible in order to avoid confrontation.
Meanwhile, outside Zimbabwe concern about the election results remains high.
This Friday – which is Zimbabwe Independence Day - there will be a `demonstration for democracy’ in London organised by ACTSA, the successor organisation to the Anti-Apartheid Movement.
Taking place outside the Zimbabwe embassy from 12.30pm, the demo will call for the will of the Zimbabwean people to be reflected in the election results.
To find out more about the event, go to the ACTSA website here.