Elections – SADC, AU Must Assert Authority

13 May 2011

editorial

The Zanu PF politburo resolved yet again on Wednesday that elections would have to be held this year without fail. This is consistent with the position taken by the party’s annual conference in Mutare last December.

President Robert Mugabe, supported by a misguided clique of securocrats and intolerant Zanu PF hawks, has been desperately pushing for early elections despite manifest evidence that conditions for free and fair elections have not so far been created. He is clearly acting purely for personal and self-serving political reasons.

It is clear Mugabe, plagued by health problems and old age, wants to secure another five-year term while he still can campaign so that he fulfils his autocratic dream of being president-for-life. He wants to die in office it would seem.

Mugabe on Wednesday reasserted himself at the politburo meeting and demanded that the elections be held this year. No one opposed him. Zanu PF chief negotiator Patrick Chinamasa was in trouble finding the courage of his convictions to state openly that it was not possible — in terms of preparations, logistically and financially — to have elections this year.

Before elections there should be institutional and legislative reforms capturing such key issues as a new constitution, orderly voters’ education and registration, a fresh voters’ roll, transparent delimitation of constituencies, equal access to the media and a peaceful atmosphere for campaigning.

Since the GPA is guaranteed by the African Union and Sadc, these two bodies must ensure minimum conditions for free and fair elections in line with the Sadc Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections. We do not mean in theory but in practice.

Every reasonable person can see that Zimbabwe is not yet ready for elections. The majority of Zimbabweans can see that. In fact, everyone can see that except Mugabe and his surrogates.

South African President Jacob Zuma, the Sadc facilitator on Zimbabwe, is very clear on this. He has indicated no elections should be held in Zimbabwe before conditions for genuine and credible elections are created. Who is Zuma, Mugabe and his delusional lackeys are bound to ask? Well, he is the Sadc facilitator on Zimbabwe and an influential player in regional and African politics. That is why he has been involved in Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast and Libya.

Zuma’s international relations advisor and one of his three facilitators, Lindiwe Zulu, captured the Sadc view when she said this week: “Categorically and totally, Zimbabwe will not have elections in 2011 because there is a lot of work to be done in the area of reforms and creating a conducive environment for free and fair elections,” Zulu said. “The next Zimbabwe election must be totally different from 2008.”

Sadc and the AU must assert their authority and refuse to allow Zimbabwe to be stampeded into blood-soaked early elections which would take us back to square one; to the period of political turmoil and economic meltdown.

The Registrar-General has said the voters’ roll is in a shambles. The chairman of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), retired Justice Simpson Mutambanengwe has warned that the electoral body needs adequate funding and that rushing to elections without enough preparation would inevitably lead to yet another disputed outcome.

Chinamasa was being honest and realistic when he said recently: “It is my opinion that it is not possible to hold elections this year.” His view is shared by virtually all negotiators and facilitators.

However, Mugabe and his dangerous bootlickers want us to believe the country is ready for elections. They want to take us down the June 2008 route: the path of elections-induced bloodshed. They have already deployed the security forces to spearhead a campaign of violence and intimidation.

Given their record of corruption, incompetence and failure, there is no way Mugabe and Zanu PF can win free and fair elections. Their trump card is terror.

Meanwhile, let’s wait for the Sadc summit on May 20 to see if Mugabe and his diehards can intimidate all Zimbabweans and the whole region.

As for the two MDC parties, they are better advised to apply Napoleonic logic on the current situation: Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake. Mugabe is clearly committing political suicide. He must not be interrupted, otherwise he might stop his hara-kiri!

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