/ 18 December 2006

Zim rights groups vow mass protests

Zimbabwe’s opposition and rights groups vowed on Monday to stage mass street protests against plans by President Robert Mugabe’s supporters to extend the veteran ruler’s term by another two years.

In a resolution passed at the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union — Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) party’s annual conference over the weekend, three key arms of the party proposed that 82-year-old Mugabe’s term be extended to 2010 by postponing presidential elections.

The official reason for delaying the ballot to coincide with parliamentary elections was to save money in a country reeling under record inflation.

But opponents of the man who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980 believe that it is a mere smokescreen for Mugabe to hold on to power.

”As the National Constitutional Assembly [NCA] we will resist this by taking to the streets to re-emphasise the need for a new Constitution,” said Lovemore Madhuku, leader of an alliance of labour and rights groups.

”Mugabe has simply hardened and the only way we can resist this continuing erosion of democracy in Zimbabwe is to develop a critical mass of people to stand up against Mugabe.”

A fearless critic of the government, Madhuku has been jailed several times while NCA members have frequently clashed with riot police during street protests.

Elphus Mukonoweshuro, an advisor to opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, vowed that there would be protests but would not say where and when.

Public gatherings are meant to receive prior approval and protests that have been advertised in advance have been crushed by Mugabe’s security forces.

”Mugabe’s answer when confronted by people demanding food or a solution to bread and butter issues has been to threaten to kill them,” Mukonoweshuro warned.

”This time he should be prepared for serious confrontation. The opposition will most definitely resist this dictatorship.”

He said the planned extension was a ploy by Zanu-PF to resolve an impasse over the choice of Mugabe’s successor.

”The idea is to meet Mugabe’s desire to move from State House to the Heroes Acre,” Mukonoweshuro said.

The Heroes Acre is a cemetery on the outskirts of Harare where high-ranking veterans of Zimbabwe’s 1970s liberation struggle are buried.

Previous street protests against Mugabe’s rule have been crushed by riot police and in some cases the army. In September scores of trade unionists were beaten up by riot police blocking protests against the escalating cost of living.

Despite the dire state of the economy, splits within the opposition have left Mugabe largely unchallenged. The main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) had looked a good bet to topple Mugabe but it is a shadow of its former self since fracturing a year ago over Tsvangirai’s decision not to contest parliamentary poll.

Gabriel Chaibva, spokesperson for an anti-Tsvangairai faction of the MDC, said his group would resist the ruling party’s plans in Parliament.

”We are against this proposal but we will not engage in street protests because demonstrations have proved to be ineffective because Mugabe will not listen,” Chaibva said.

”We will oppose this extension in Parliament giving our reasons why we are against it.”

Pedzisai Ruhanya of Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition said: ”Mugabe should have at least consulted Zimbabweans on this national issue. We will definitely resist this decision by Zanu-PF. We need to start thinking of the mode of protest.”

Zimbabwe is in the seventh year of economic recession characterised by more than 1 000% inflation and massive unemployment, with at least 80% of the population living below the poverty threshold. Mugabe has said the proposal to extend his term would be endorsed by Zanu-PF’s central committee, the party’s highest decision-making organ.

An extension would also require a constitutional amendment, which should pose little obstacle with Zanu-PF’s parliamentary majority. ‒ Sapa-AFP