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Zimbabwe poll winner must immediately organize new vote: activists
Monsters and Critics
March 20, 2008

View story on The Monsters and Critics website

Johannesburg - Zimbabwean pro-democracy activists on Thursday called on whoever wins Zimbabwe's March 29 elections, which they said they expected would not be free and fair, to immediately set about organizing a new ballot.

The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, National Constitutional Assembly and Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum in South Africa were addressing a joint press conference with the South African Communist Party in Johannesburg.

'There is no question that this election will contravene the SADC (Southern African Development Community) guidelines for free and fair elections,' the groups said in a joint statement, citing evidence of widespread voter intimidation and human rights abuses ahead of the poll.

Whoever wins the election should start by establishing a government of national unity and making arrangements for a truly free and fair ballot, they said, presenting a list of demands to the next government.

Zimbabweans are being called on to choose between incumbent Robert Mugabe, 84, longtime opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, 56, former finance minister Simba Makoni, 57 and little-known Christian candidate Langton Towungana, 41, for president for the next five years.

Parliamentary and local elections are also being held on the same date.

Many Zimbabweans fear the upcoming elections will be a replay of the 2002 presidential vote, which was marred by widespread voter intimidation and allegations of rigging.

South Africa's take on the election would be key in this regard, the activists and Communist Party member said.

'We can see a new impetus towards democratization in Zimbabwe (within South Africa's ruling African National Congress),' Solly Mayisela of the Communist Party said, referring to an ANC statement expressing concern over interference by military and police chiefs in the election.

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