/ 16 January 2008

Zim opposition to march for free, fair poll

Zimbabwe's main opposition said on Wednesday it planned a protest next week to demonstrate against a crumbling economy and press for a new Constitution it says will guarantee free and fair elections scheduled for March. Opposition MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai said earlier this month the party might boycott elections scheduled for March.

Zimbabwe’s main opposition said on Wednesday it planned a protest next week to demonstrate against a crumbling economy and press for a new Constitution it says will guarantee free and fair elections scheduled for March.

”Our march will be dubbed the freedom walk and is intended to highlight the suffering and plight of Zimbabweans, our demand for a new Constitution before the elections and most importantly an even electoral field,” Tendai Biti, the secretary general of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), told journalists.

Biti said the opposition had notified the police as required by law and would meet law enforcement agents later on Wednesday to discuss the protest march, which has been set for January 23.

Opposition MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai said earlier this month the party might boycott elections scheduled for March unless President Robert Mugabe’s government implemented a new Constitution.

Mugabe’s ruling Zanu-PF and the MDC have been in South African-mediated talks on revamping the Constitution since June in an effort to end political and economic turmoil in the Southern African country, and ensure future election results are accepted by all parties.

The talks are part of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) effort after Tsvangirai and dozens of MDC leaders were reportedly beaten in custody last March after an aborted rally against Mugabe and his government.

The events drew strong international criticism against Mugabe (83) and Zimbabwe’s sole leader since independence from Britain in 1980, amid calls for him to institute democratic reforms or step down.

Once Southern Africa’s bread basket, Zimbabwe now suffers from official inflation of nearly 8 000%, frequent food and fuel shortages and unemployment of about 80%.

Sticking point

The MDC and Zanu-PF have agreed on a new draft Constitution but there is a deadlock over when it should be adopted. The MDC wants it implemented before national presidential and parliamentary elections while Zanu-PF wants it after the vote.

In South Africa, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad told reporters it appeared Mugabe and the MDC had agreed on all substantial issues in the talks, but the Constitution remained the sticking point.

”It is a question about the election whether it can still be held in March and whether the agreed changes to the new Constitution can come into force,” he said.

This comes after visiting Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern told reporters on Tuesday that President Thabo Mbeki, who is facilitating the talks, told him that the parties were within days of finalising a political document that would cover all the important issues needed to ensure a free and fair election.

”He brought us through each of the categories, and the present position on the negotiations, and the work towards the political documents where all of these elements that have been worked through will form the [content] of the political document,” Ahern said.

”He would in days be engaged in the final aspects of this,” he added.

Mbeki has personally taken charge of the facilitation process and its reported that he has summoned negotiators from the parties to Pretoria over the weekend.

Pahad did not elaborate on the talks, saying he was not part of the facilitation team.

Biti said the march would test Zanu-PF’s commitment to democratic reforms after agreeing at the talks to ease tough security, media and electoral laws. The laws, which were passed by Parliament last year, are still to be signed by Mugabe.

”We have to test the sincerity of Zanu-PF but this [march] is without prejudice to the SADC dialogue, which we remain committed to. We are cautiously optimistic that an outcome may come soon,” Biti said.

Critics say Mugabe has in the past used state security agents to harshly quell protests against his government but analysts say tension continues to swell among a population ravaged by rising poverty and lately shortages of cash. – Reuters, Sapa