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ZFS: No voting for Zim refugees
20/03/2008 20:20 - (SA)
Johannesburg - Refugees and exiled Zimbabweans cannot vote in the country's March 29 election, the Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum (ZSF) said on Thursday.
Spokesperson Tapera Kapuya said all Zimbabweans outside the country were not eligible to vote and would be excluded.
"The constitution prescribes that you reside in a particular constituency (within Zimbabwe) at least for a year prior to the election date.
"This constitutional glitch has already tipped the scale in Zanu-PF's favour," Kapuya said.
The ZSF, a network of SA organisations supporting democracy in Zimbabwe, was briefing the media on its assessment of how conducive the situation was for free and fair elections in that country.
Watershed election
In what has been deemed the "watershed" election, Zimbabweans will go to the polls to elect a new government on March 29.
ZSF presented a list of demands it hoped to forward to the SA and Zimbabwean governments.
On its list is: a government of national unity, the overhaul of the constitution, a properly organised election, re-compensation for victims of Operation Murambatsvina and the relaxation of cross border regulations against Zimbabweans.
Nixon Nyikadzino of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition said election apathy was the major concern.
"Zimbabwe records the lowest voter registration in the region and that has contributed to Zanu-PF and (Robert) Mugabe staying in power for so long.
"We've invested a lot of money, this time around, in getting the adult population to vote," Nyikadzino said.
Also at the press briefing were Bishop Paul Verryn of the Methodist church, Jacob Molapi of SA NGO Coalition (Sangoco) and Solly Mayisela of the SA Communist Party.
Wished chaos
Molapi said it was disturbing to see a country that defeated colonialism go the route Zimbabwe had gone.
He said beyond the March 29 election there was a lot of work to be done.
"But that needs a government that has a capacity to reconstruct," he said.
In the meantime Zimbabwe's ambassador to SA Simon Khaya Moyo gave assurance that the elections in his country would be "free and fair for everybody".
"Of course this is to the chagrin of our detractors led by London and Washington who have wished chaos ... that won't happen. We are going to continue with this peaceful atmosphere," he said.
Kapuya called on the Zimbabwean army and police to carry out their duties in a manner that would open up democratic processes in the country.
"Their duties are key to change, they hold a key to opening up the democratic processes," he said.
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