SW Radio Africa (London)
Tererai Karimakwenda
16 May 2008
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) on Friday finally announced the date for the presidential runoff election between MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai and ZANU-PF's Robert Mugabe.
The announcement of the poll for June 27 th comes while a brutal state-sponsored campaign against the MDC and its supporters continues, and the police are making it difficult for them to hold rallies.
At least 33 deaths have been attributed to the political violence so far. It is clear that many more are going unreported in remote rural areas where youth militia are blocking attempts to rescue the wounded. Several trade union leaders are in police custody facing trumped up charges and over 40,000 farm workers and many teachers have been displaced. The violence has been so widespread that there is consensus that the environment is definitely not conducive to holding an election.
MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa described the ZEC announcement as 'clearly outrageous' saying it shows Mugabe is trying to extend his last days in power. He added: "Mugabe is trying to create more breathing space, but there is no more breathing to be done by ZANU-PF."
Chamisa said the MDC is ready to challenge Mugabe any day and they were certain of victory. Referring to the original presidential results that EC delayed announcing for 5 weeks, he said: "The people spoke before. What they did on March 29 was to put ZANU-PF to death. What we have to do now is bury him, and the burial has to be attended by every Zimbabwean."
Chamisa said the party is very aware that the conditions on the ground are not conducive to a free and fair poll. He repeated their demand for a cessation of all state-sponsored violence and called for the removal of all soldiers and military personnel from the villages. He said the MDC also wants the presence of observers from the United Nations, African Union and SADC. "We also want international media there. Without the international radar Mugabe would butcher people" said Chamisa.
The regional mediator on Zimbabwe , President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa , met with Mugabe last Friday and reportedly expressed concern over the ongoing violence. He had been briefed by a delegation of retired generals that he sent to Zimbabwe to investigate and report back to him. Reports said Mbeki was "shaken" by evidence that the generals' showed him. He allegedly told Mugabe in that meeting at State house that a run-off under such violent conditions would result in a disputed poll.
According to The Standard newspaper, Mugabe told Mbeki during their meeting that ZEC needed to delay the poll because they had no funds to replenish election materials. The report said: "Mbeki pledged to mobilise funds for the run-off."
It is not likely that Mugabe will accept the presence of international media or observers that are not from so-called "friendly countries". Meanwhile it is the ordinary Zimbabwean that will continue to suffer while Mugabe and the region, play their political games.
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