After voting in a referendum to decide on a new constitution last month, Zimbabwe is now focusing on elections to end the four-year coalition government between Zanu (PF) and the MDCs.
President Robert Mugabe recently filed court papers indicating that elections would be held in June, which has been dismissed by other GPA principles, Morgan Tsvangirai and Welshman Ncube.
According to Tsvangirai and Ncube, the GPA requires Mugabe to consult them when coming up with an election date.
“People should not read too much into Zanu (PF)’s election date proclamation. Yes, we are going to have elections when the GPA principles have agreed on a date. We might go on and on debating about the election date but this is not one man’s game,” said Pedzisai Ruhanya, a political analyst.
Recently, Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said elections would be held by June 29 and, according to court papers, Mugabe said he intends to announce new election dates after May.
However, Tsvangirai last week dismissed the date saying there were reforms that needed to be put in place before the announcement could be made.
There has been concern over the conduct of the police and security sector realignment has been cited as imperative for a peaceful poll in Zimbabwe.
Ncube also dismissed elections in June saying the constitution allowed 90 days after the dissolution of Parliament before elections could be held, making September a possible month for elections.
He also appealed to SADC Troika Chairperson, Jakaya Kikwete, who is the President of Tanzania, for the regional body’s intervention condemning Mugabe for unilaterally declaring the election dates, a move that was in breach of the GPA.
A political scientist, Eldred Masunungure, said, “ It is important for the GPA principle to concentrate on putting in place the required reforms than to waste time bickering about the election date. South African President Jacob Zuma has on several occasions called on Zimbabwe to put reforms in place before elections.”
Post published in: News