'Lack of leadership in the SADC'

2008-05-15 21:56

Johannesburg - Xenophobic attacks against Zimbabweans in Alexandra outside Johannesburg exposed the SADC's lack of leadership in dealing with the Zimbabwean crisis, the MDC said on Thursday.

"It is the reflection that the Zimbabwean crisis is not a Zimbabwean crisis...what happened here exposes the lack of leadership in the SADC," said Tendai Biti secretary general of the Movement for Democratic Change, Zimbabwe's opposition party.

He told reporters in Johannesburg the attacks underlined the need for the Zimbabwean crisis to be resolved so that the country's people could return home.

A Zimbabwean was killed and dozens were injured and displaced in the violence that erupted earlier in the week.

Biti criticised the Zimbabwean electoral commission's announcement on Wednesday that it would hold the run-off election within 90 days.

This delay was in breach of the Zimbabwean constitution and the country's electoral act, he said.

ZEC is buying time

According to Zimbabwean law, the run-off is supposed to be held within 21 days of the announcement of the election results, which took place on May 2.

"Delaying the run-off by 90 days...the ZEC is simply buying time for Zanu-PF," Biti said.

He accused the commission of being "a tool in the ruling party's power machinations".

The MDC wanted the run-off to take place on May 23, and it wanted the SADC to insist on the "reconstitution of the ZEC".

It also called on a regional body to hold an urgent summit to deal with the legality of the run-off elections, to call for an end to the ongoing violence in Zimbabwe, and to ensure political parties had the freedom of movement in order to campaign.

Biti said there were at present no talks taking place between Zanu-PF and the MDC.

- SAPA