Public outrage at Zanu’s plan to delay presidential elections

country to run presidential and parliamentary elections concurrently in 2010.
The official plan, broadcast on state radio on Sunday afternoon, has heightened tensions in the crisis-torn country as most poverty-stricken citizens shudder the prospect of another gruelling two years under Mugabe’s misrule.
The next presidential elections were due in 2008, and parliamentary polls in 2010.
But a spokesman of President Mugabe’s ruling Zanu (PF) party told state radio: “The ruling Zanu (PF) party will soon lobby parliament over the possibility of holding joint presidential and parliamentary elections in 2010,” Zanu (PF) spokesman Nathan Shamuyarira said on ZBH’s National FM, adding: “The party is likely to push for the joint presidential-parliamentary elections to be held in 2010.”
Shamuyarira was unavailable for further comment.
But top ruling party sources said privately the party’s decision-making body, the Politburo, had “okayed the constitutional amendments” that would allow the country to jointly hold both polls. At present, parliament has a five-year life cycle, while the president runs for a six-year term.
Impeccable sources said the ruling party, through Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa, was going to bring constitutional amendment No.18 to Parliament early next year, which is expected to sail through as the ruling party enjoys a technical two-thirds majority in parliament so it can pass such amendments easily.
The Zimbabwean heard that several suggestions had been considered, including harmonising the polls by cutting short the current parliamentary term from 2010 to 2008 so that come 2008, we have both presidential and parliamentary elections. This suggestion was thrown out. Other suggestions to have an election of a president in 2008, only to serve for two years, from 2008 to 2010, were also rejected.
A third scenario of having an election of a president to serve for seven years, from 2008 to 2015, so that the harmonisation takes place from 2015, was also struck off the roll of suggestions.
“The decision-making body agreed that the only way forward is to have the presidential election in 2010,” a top politburo member who declined to be named said.
Opposition politicians and civic leaders reacted angrily to the plan, with most of them saying they were “horrified” with such blatant attempts to bastardize the constitution to grant Mugabe an illegal extension of his misrule.
Gabriel Chaibva, a spokesman of the Mutambara-led Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said Mugabe must be stopped immediately.
“It is politically criminal to postpone the election,” Chaibva told The Zimbabwean. “There has to be an election in 2008 by any means necessary.” He refused to divulge how his MDC faction was going to challenge this position saying “we will keep our cards close to our chest.”
Outspoken University of Zimbabwe political scientist John Makumbe said by amending the election timeframes Zanu (PF) was “merely trying to buy itself more time in power.” He said the proposed changes were meant to ensure that Mugabe remained at the helm, regardless of when the parliamentary polls were held, because “they realise they have a better chance at the elections if he is still around.” Ruling party sources said the constitutional amendments would enable Mugabe to proceed as interim president until 2010 although his current term expires in March 2008. Ruling party sources said Mugabe now strongly believes his handpicked successor Joyce Mujuru has neither the intellect nor the capacity to lead the country, hence the move to cling on until 2010.
Perhaps, more crucially, they also believe Mujuru would be incapable of defeating MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai in an election.
Reginald Matchaba-Hove, a leading human rights activist and the founder of the Zimbabwe Election Support Network said he was not surprised by the move by Zanu (PF) to mutilate the constitution.
“This process should be determined by a referendum not a political party,” Matchaba-Hove said.
A spokesman of the Tsvangirai-led faction of the MDC, Nelson Chamisa said: “Zanu (PF)’s latest antics only serve to confirm that Zimbabwe has become an unmitigated dictatorship, ruled by power hungry geriatrics bent on clinging on to power till kingdom come.”
Chamisa said Mugabe was attempting to extend his term so as to have time to handle his party’s divisive and contentious succession drama. He said Mugabe was afraid of elections amid a deepening economic crisis that saw inflation touch a record 1,204 percent last month.
“Mugabe must not be allowed to abuse national institutions such as the House of Assembly to grant himself a safe exit.”
Cde Fatso, a youth activist with the Harare-based Uhuru Network, said Zanu (PF) risks a fierce backlash over these plans.
“Extending elections is not like Chimombe. It won’t give Zanu (PF) long life,” Cde Fatso said. The people’s focus has moved from rigged elections to fighting with free and fair jambanja. Extending elections won’t stop the wave of resistance.”