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IT WOULD be irresponsible not to comment on the gross violation of human rights taking place in the Republic of Zimbabwe.

The will of the Zimbabweans to have a government of their choice has been dashed by that country’s electoral commission. One of the tenets of democracy – which is free and fair elections – has been compromised by the commission by its glaring lack of impartiality. The snail’s pace at which the parliamentary election results were pronounced was suspicious and raised fears of possible vote-rigging.

As if that was not enough, the commission went on to delay the release of the presidential poll results.

The elections were tightly contested by the ruling party, Zanu-PF, and the Morgan Tsvangirai-led opposition, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

It is regrettable that officials of institutions such as the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, which must uphold professional ethics and the rule of law, are undermining such principles. And to think that they are doing this only to save their lavish jobs – at the expense of the poor citizens and against the will of the people of Zimbabwe.

But worse still, the African leadership in the region and the continent has failed the people of Zimbabwe once more. African leaders are irresolute when it comes to matters of the region and the Zimbabwe case is only a confirmation of that fact. SADC leadership refused to acknowledge there was a crisis in Zimbabwe. As a result, it did not put its weight behind the current mediator, President Thabo Mbeki, or other leaders in the search for a lasting solution.

The liberation movements-cum- ruling parties seem hellbent on violating human rights on the basis of their own history. In context, Zimbabwe was a British colony for many years and should not be a colony again. Equally, no ruling political party should violate human rights simply because the people have lost confidence in their leadership.

Actually, Zimbabweans were dismally let down by the leadership because of its sheer recklessness in the implementation of the national programme of action.

MASKET MTSHWENI

Tshwane

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