Firm stance on Zimbabwe polls needed
2011-05-31 20:08
Special Report
Zimbabwe's Zanu-PF party is mulling over a special congress at which top vacant positions will be filled and the succession of President Robert Mugabe would be decided, according to a report.
Harare - A pro-democracy research group says a tougher stance by regional leaders can prevent a repeat of bloody, disputed elections in Zimbabwe.
The Institute for a Democratic Alternative for Zimbabwe says Southern African leaders for the first time have the will and capacity to ensure credible, free elections in Zimbabwe.
Former Southern African Development Community secretary-general Prega Ramsamy says the regional bloc has made it clear it will no longer tolerate rogue members such as Zimbabwe that flaunt its guiding principles on elections and democracy.
He says SADC recently "put its foot down" to stop President Robert Mugabe calling early elections this year.
Zimbabwe's disputed 2008 elections were marred by violence.
Mugabe, 87, who is in a shaky coalition that was brokered by the regional body after violent elections in 2008, wants elections this year to end the troubled power sharing agreement with the former opposition of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
But regional leaders at a summit in March ruled that the nation was not ready to go to the polls until work on rewriting the constitution and several other coalition disputes were resolved, along with an end to political violence.
Bombshell
The region's previous soft approach toward Zimbabwe stemmed from old-guard leaders alongside Mugabe who led the fight against colonial rule.
"There are new political leaders ... looking for economic development, security and stability," he said.
Mugabe described his stern rebuke by regional leaders in March as a "bombshell" from the regional grouping after - for the first time - they accused his party and loyalist police and the military of violence and arbitrary arrests of opponents and officials of Tsvangirai's party.
Earlier on Tuesday, riot police fanned out in impoverished townships in western Harare for a second day in an apparent crackdown on Tsvangirai supporters after disturbances on Sunday left one police officer dead.
Police alleged Tsvangirai's supporters started the disturbances. By late Tuesday, 16 people had been arrested.
Tsvangirai's party denied the allegations and in a statement cited witnesses saying the police inspector was killed when he was hit on the head with a chair as police intervened to stop a dispute in a township bar on Sunday.
- AP
