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Zimbabwe: MDC Slam Poll Delay And Call for Urgent SADC Summit
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SW Radio Africa (London)
15 May 2008
Posted to the web 15 May 2008
Lance Guma
The MDC have called for an urgent SADC 'extraordinary summit' to make firm resolutions on the crisis in Zimbabwe.
MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti issued a statement calling on the regional body to; 'Take note of the massacres taking place in the country where more than 35 people have been killed, thousands displaced, thousands tortured and hundreds of houses burnt.' Biti chronicled how two of their founding youth members, Beta Chokururama and Musoja Kauzani, were found murdered in Murehwa on Wednesday. He said their party headquarters had become a refugee centre and they were failing to cope with the humanitarian demands.
The party argues that SADC has failed to provide leadership 'equal to the madness in Zimbabwe.' He said they want a summit that would demonstrate that African institutions can offer decisive African solutions to African problems. The summit should also set conditions for the presidential run-off, demand a cessation of violence and the demobilisation of all Zanu PF militia. The MDC also want SADC to send peace observers, 'monitoring police or army units to enforce the peace.' The party on Thursday also slammed attempts by Robert Mugabe and his regime to prolong their stay in power by extending the period in which a presidential run-off is supposed to be held.
The regime has now gazetted itself an extension of 90 days from the May 2nd announcement of presidential results - which is illegal and against the country's electoral laws. This means the election can be delayed right up to July 31st. MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said Zanu PF was simply giving itself more time to intensify a brutal campaign of political violence countrywide. He said the delay was just another attempt at clinging to power, despite the MDC victory in both presidential and parliamentary elections held on March 29th. Zanu PF militia have so far killed over 33 MDC supporters and it's clear this illegal delay is to give them more time for the crackdown.
Time has been a precious commodity for Mugabe ever since he lost the election. People voted on the 29th March with most results already public knowledge within 48 hours. New electoral laws, courtesy of constitutional amendment 18, ensured results were posted outside the polling stations. Despite this the regime put pressure on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to announce the parliamentary results at a snails pace. When they completed this exercise they engaged in further delaying tactics, which led to presidential results being announced on May 2nd, 34 days after people voted.
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Biti expressed outrage 'at the continual and blatant disregard of the people's will.' He said the delay demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that Mugabe did not intend to surrender power and will do anything legally and illegally to hold on. Biti said the crisis has exposed how regional bodies and even international law have failed to deal with tyrants. Meanwhile ZEC has said it will announce the date for the presidential run-off on Friday.
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