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Wife of jailed Zim MP to run
27/03/2005 15:18 - (SA)
Michael Hartnack
Harare - The wife of jailed opposition legislator Roy Bennett confirmed on Saturday she would contest his constituency in this week's parliamentary elections rather than postponing the vote so he could run.
Heather Bennett, 42, said her husband had reached an agreement with the electoral court and government-appointed electoral supervisory commission that would allow her to stand as opposition candidate for Chimanimani in Thursday's election.
The electoral court had ordered the region's vote be delayed until April 30 to allow Bennett himself to stand, saying he had been improperly barred from filing candidacy papers.
Heather Bennett said, however, that she and her husband wanted the vote to go ahead as scheduled to spare voters any possible intimidation by youth militia loyal to President Robert Mugabe.
"Roy was concerned for the guys on the ground," she said, after consulting her husband at Mutoko prison, 120 km northeast of Harare, where he has been since November.
"A delay will let the government direct all their resources into Chimanimani, bring in the youth league and intimidate people. They have never lost a by-election."
Mugabe, speaking at a March 17 ruling party rally in the mountainous constituency about 500 km southeast of Harare, ordered his supporters to ignore the court ruling during Thursday's election. He also said he would appeal the ruling.
Bennett, one of 57 opposition legislators elected in 2000, was jailed on the majority vote of ruling party lawmakers after a scuffle in the house.
He has been prevented from appealing his imprisonment to Zimbabwe's Supreme Court.
Heather Bennett said a fall in violence in recent weeks had allowed her to hold several well-attended rallies for the opposition MDC.
"I think we have a fair chance of holding the seat if voting takes place on March 31," she said.
There was no immediate comment from either Mugabe's party or election officials.
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