Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has told his supporters to prepare for free and fair elections in 2011. Addressing thousands of MDC activists during a whirlwind tour of four districts in Matabeleland North over the weekend, the MDC leader said the constitution-making process would bring in a free and democratic Zimbabwe.

He said the new people-driven constitution will do away with repressive laws such as the Access to Information and Public Protection Act (AIPPA) and the Public Order and Security Act (POSA).

Tsvangirai’s rallies were at Manjolo Business Centre, Tinde Business Centre in Binga on Saturday, Sipepa Business Centre and Tsholotsho Growth Point on Sunday.

The MDC leader did express concern that ZANU PF was reluctant to reform, saying it does not want to see progress and this is shown by the continued disregard of the rule of law and the refusal to resolve outstanding issues.

Leading human rights lawyer Dewa Mavhinga, told us they’ve not seen sufficient reforms and changes on the ground to guarantee that the next elections will be free and fair.

‘We’ve noticed that on the ground the military, police and ZANU PF militia are still active and have the capacity at a moment’s notice to unleash terror in the rural communities,’ Mavhinga said.

He added; ‘This is the challenge that Tsvangirai has to overcome because the conditions that prevailed prior to the June 2008 presidential election still remain on the ground.’

Asked what the MDC could do to ensure a free poll, Mavhinga said extensive electoral reforms and the disbanding of the militias and war veterans was essential to start with.

‘There should be a regional monitoring or a peacekeeping force that should be sent months before the elections to ensure that the militias and war veterans are not be able to mobilize again,’ he said.

Mavhinga said the military, especially the top brass, should be reigned in to ensure that they don’t interfere with the transfer of power after the election.

‘What happened last year was that although the MDC won the elections there was no transfer of power to them because the military junta effectively took over running the country. This should not be allowed to happen again and there should be a system like the one at independence where a smooth transition allowed Robert Mugabe to take over power from Ian Smith,’ Mavhinga added.