A recent study by the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute (ZDI) found that the deployment of Forever Associates Zimbabwe (FAZ) into Zimbabwe’s electoral processes was a key part of Zanu-PF’s electoral manipulation strategy.

The study found that FAZ agents were linked to intimidation and violence against political opponents and that they were also involved in voter suppression and vote rigging.

ZDI’s main finding of its study on the state of the electoral environment in Zimbabwe ahead of the August 23, 2023 election is electoral manipulation activities of Zanu-PF and FAZ, a quasi-military organisation including the weaponisation of law (law-fare) to clampdown on the opposition and democracy defenders dominated the period

ZDI used convenience sampling to recruit 200 research participants from Nkayi, Umguza, Tsholotsho, Mwenezi, Magunje, Uzumba, Mt Darwin, Chitungwiza, Harare, and Zvimba, where the majority of citizens (65%) believe FAZ is associated with intimidation and violence against Zanu-PF’s political opponents.