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Zimbabwe: Impatience Grows Over Stalemate
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Financial Gazette (Harare)
8 May 2008
Posted to the web 9 May 2008
Ray Matikinye
Harare
THERE is growing impatience among politicians, single issue lobbyists and civic organisations over the unresolved March 29 election impasse and the impending presidential poll re-run, which have sparked a fresh wave of violence against innocent civilians in many parts of rural Zimbabwe.
Lobbyists and civic organisations are worried about escalating post-poll violence, amid a flurry of diplomatic activity to find a seemingly elusive solution.
On Tuesday this week the General Council of the Bar of South Africa (GCB) joined a swelling number of rights organisations in condemning the on-going wave of politically-motivated violence that has re-emerged in the wake of the inconclusive general polls.
In a statement, the Johannesburg-based GCB noted "the compelling evidence of orchestrated brutal political intimidation that has targeted supporters, and in particular organisers, of the party that has democratically come into power".
"We are concerned that the African Union and the SADC leaders have failed to speak out and condemn the serious repression of human rights perpetrated by President Mugabe's regime against citizens of Zimbabwe, who exercised their basic democratic right to vote for change," read part of the statement.
GCB chairman, Jan Eksteen, said it was essential that the rule of law be restored and that an environment free of fear and intimidation be established before Zimbabweans can be expected to again exercise their right to vote.
"There can be no democratically competent election re-run without ensuring beforehand that repression, intimidation and fear of reprisals ends," said Eksteen.
The Bar said the provisions of the African Charter to which Zimbabwe is a signatory, can only be respected if there is freedom from fear at the ballot box.
Patience among political leaders within SADC and outside the regional grouping has been eroded by the inordinate delays in resolving the Zimbabwean electoral impasse, close to six weeks after the polls were held.
Early this week, the chairman of the AU Commission, Jean Ping, met President Mugabe to discuss the situation in Zimbabwe following the March 29 elections ahead of the continental body's executive council meeting in Tanzania.
The African diplomat also met Zimbabwe Electoral Commission officials, who are yet to announce the date of the run-off.
On Tuesday, maverick and outspoken Kenyan prime minister, Raila Odinga, said the political crisis in Zimbabwe was an embarrassment to Africa and promised to ask the AU to be "more proactive when dealing with the issue".
He spoke after meeting MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai in South Africa
"The fact that elections can be held in an independent country and it takes more than a month for the results to be announced is sad.
"That is not really how you want to run a democracy. The rest of Africa is silent and this is not good for democracy. We must speak when an injustice is being done," said Odinga.
But a flurry of diplomatic activity to find a solution to the political impasse invented by the polls is gaining momentum, indicating impatience with the slow electoral process.
United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon on Monday also added his voice on the deteriorating political situation in the country and said he was consulting with African leaders on how to resolve the crisis.
Among the African leaders the UN chief intends to meet are AU Commission chairman Ping, AU chairman, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete and SADC chairman, President Levy Mwanawasa of Zambia.
Even South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC), considered a staunch ally of ZANU-PF and to have enough political and economic muscle to persuade the government to change course, is becoming frustrated.
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ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe this week told journalists at an ANC press briefing in Johannesburg that it "had been difficult to try to talk to ZANU PF".
The ANC also expressed concern over reports of violence and intimidation. At least 25 people are said to have died as a result of post-election retributive violence, according to the MDC.
ZANU-PF and the MDC blame each other for the violence.
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