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Zanu (PF) may alter poll date to keep Mugabe in office
Business Day (SA)
November 17, 2006

http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/topstories.aspx?ID=BD4A320174

HARARE — Zimbabwe’s ruling party wants presidential and parliamentary elections to be held at the same time, which could mean prolonging President Robert Mugabe’s stay in office by two years, it emerged yesterday.

Nathan Shamuyarira of the ruling Zanu(PF), told a conference that the simultaneous holding of elections was acceptable to his party, the official Herald newspaper reported.

"The election of members of parliament and the president should be conducted at the same time in order to reduce costs," Shamuyarira, Zanu (PF) secretary for information and publicity, was quoted as saying. Zanu (PF) backed the principle of fixed presidential terms, he added.

There is growing speculation inside Zimbabwe that some members of the ruling party want to see presidential elections due in 2008 pushed back because no clear successor to the 82-year-old Mugabe has emerged.

The next parliamentary elections are due in 2010. Mugabe, who has been in power for the past 26 years, appears increasingly touchy over the issue of succession.

Mugabe recently called for an end to "witches" involved in succession infighting.

Last month he told a meeting of church leaders in the capital Harare that three or four people were jostling to succeed him.

At least two rival factions are seeking to have their candidate named next-in-line: one in favour of Vice-President Joyce Mujuru and a second backing political heavyweight Emmerson Mnangagwa.

But other names are also being touted as possible successors.

"Even before the term of the president (has expired), they want the seat. I haven’t completed my term, but you (would-be candidates) are already waiting by the door like a witch," he said.

The ruling party is due to hold its annual conference in Goromonzi, east of Harare next month, which Mugabe says is the proper forum to discuss the issue.

In September, Shamuyarira claimed he had been misquoted by the state-run Sunday News when the paper quoted him as saying Zanu (PF) was considering pushing for amendments to the constitution that would postpone presidential elections to 2010.

Meanwhile, the government yesterday invited more than 1000 white farmers to collect compensation for property seized during controversial lands reforms launched by the government. In a four-page notice published in the state-run newspaper The Herald, secretary of lands Ngoni Masoka said dispossessed farmers should contact the ministry urgently.

"The former owners or representatives should contact the ministry of lands, land reform and resettlement as a matter of urgency in connection with their compensation." Sapa-AFP, DPA

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