Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) have agreed to reform some of that country’s electoral laws, but the opposition said it is ”dissatisfied” by the state’s attempts to portray absolute agreement.
”The state press is trying to imply that the changes to the electoral laws have our blessing,” MDC chief whip Innocent Gonese said on Wednesday. ”Actually, we’re anything but satisfied.”
A parliamentary committee made up of MPs from both parties said polls will be open for 12 hours in next year’s election.
Observers of Zimbabwe’s 2000 and 2002 elections slated the Zanu-PF government for closing polling booths and denying thousands the right to vote.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s Justice Minister, Patrick Chinamasa, said he has already agreed that ”translucent ballot boxes” will be used in the poll, expected in March next year.
But the MDC said it is ”bitterly disappointed” that civil and church leaders will not be appointed as election supervisors.
Chinamasa told state radio: ”You can’t just pick up people in the streets, as no one would be prepared to take responsibility if anything goes wrong.”
Gonese said: ”We’re not suggesting people should be picked from the street. We suggested eminent citizens should be trained as electoral supervisors.
”The opposition is far from satisfied and far from happy with the way the Electoral Act is being drafted, but negations are over, they’re finished and what is in the new law will mainly be what Zanu-PF wants in the law,” he said in a telephone interview. — Sapa