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This article participates on the following special index pages:
2008 harmonised elections - Index of articles
Post-election violence 2008 - Index of articles & images
Implications
of the presidential run-off in Zimbabwe
Idasa
June 30, 2008
View article on the Idasa website
In the wake of the March 29 Harmonized Elections in Zimbabwe, Idasa
expressed concern at the increasing militarization of the situation
on the ground in the country. Idasa further exhorted the Zimbabwe
government to avoid illegitimacy at all costs by being transparent
and fair, by adhering to its own constitution and avoiding a further
slide into economic, social and political chaos.
In the intervening
months, the crisis in Zimbabwe has reached dangerous proportions.
The state has unleashed a strategic and widespread campaign of violence
that has seen citizens displaced, imprisoned, tortured and killed.
The economic meltdown has continued and an increasing number of
citizens live with no food security. In addition, President Mugabe
and his government created a pre-electoral climate in which no reasonable
person could have expected a free and fair competition for the post
of President.
Given the violence
and the consistent arrest and detention of elected opposition MPs
and Mr Tsvangirai himself, withdrawal
from the run off was the only sensible course of action for the
MDC. Regional, continental and international leaders and bodies
called for a postponement of the presidential run-off after Mr Tsvangirai's
withdrawal and expressed their belief that it could not be free
and fair.
Despite this
pressure, the run-off was held in Zimbabwe on June 27th and has
been widely condemned as an illegitimate election that was marred
by politically motivated violence and voter intimidation. The SADC
Observer Mission declared
that the election did not represent the will of the people. The
Pan African Parliament Observer Mission echoed
these sentiments and went further to recommend that conditions should
be put in place for the holding of a free and fair run-off as soon
as possible.
The African
community, if it has to accept Mr Mugabe's election, should urge
him to retire as soon as possible. Amendment 18 to the Zimbabwe
Constitution
would then allow members of the Parliament and Senate, elected on
March 29, to nominate a successor.
As a matter
of priority both SADC and the AU should take action to end the violence
in the country and to establish the conditions for the protection
of Zimbabwean citizens. The Zimbabwe government has stated that
it cannot control the violence and is thus indicating that assistance
is required. Action to facilitate demilitarisation of the situation
could take the form of the deployment of a high level delegation
of security sector personnel from across the continent. This delegation
should have the mandate to assist those currently running the country
to return the militia, army and police to their barracks and monitor
the current regime's progress in a demilitarisation exercise.
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