Opposition speak out on controversy over presidential election

By Violet Gonda
28 September 2006

Opposition officials from the Movement for Democratic Change factions have slammed the contradicting statements reportedly made by two senior ZANU PF officials over the dates of the much awaited presidential elections.

David Coltart a legal expert from the Mutambara MDC said if the reports are correct; “It’s a further sign of the very serious divisions within ZANU PF as it would appear that one faction wants to postpone the elections while another faction does not.”

Speaking in a separate interview, Nelson Chamisa the spokesperson for the Tsvangirai MDC said this shows that the regime is trying to ambush people. He said; “This is part of a broader strategy to try and confuse the whole nation. They want to scuttle and scramble people’s minds particularly in the opposition – those in the democratic movement – so that they are not clear as to when things are going to be done.”

Mugabe who is 82 years old and has been in power since independence in 1980, has in the past indicated he wants to retire when his term expires in 2008. But many were shocked on Sunday when Nathan Shamuyarira the Zanu PF spokesperson reportedly said the presidential election could be postponed to 2010.

Critics have seen this as another ploy by the regime to extend Mugabe’s tenure.

But the website ZimOnline reported Thursday that Didymus Mutasa, the ruling party’s Secretary for Administration, said the party was not planning to postpone the 2008 poll.

Coltart said clearly there appears to be no consensus within ZANU PF and the Shamuyarira camp, which is reported to be supporting Vice President Joyce Mujuru, is losing ground and hence seeking an extension. But the Mutasa faction, which sides with Emmerson Mnangagwa, seems to want to run in 2008. The legal expert said; “I think it’s absolutely intriguing from a political prospective, how you can get two such senior ranking members of one political party singing from two completely different hymn sheets.”

We were not able to get a comment from the ZANU PF officials.

From a legal angle Coltart said; “The trouble from a constitutional perspective is that you can’t use the constitution simply to extend the executive’s stay in power indefinitely, or at all.”

Asked if the issue of the election dates was discussed in parliament at all this week Chamisa said ZANU PF continues to stick to it’s public line. “They have indicated they are not going to change the constitution. But it has been the character of the government to ambush the nation… no doubt they will want to change the constitution.”

But because of the reported rift in the ruling party the opposition is hopeful the outcome may work in their favour. Coltart says if ZANU PF has to amend the constitution they have to get at least 100 affirmative votes in terms of the existing constitution. He said; “They have been able to achieve that, for example with amendment 17 they had unity, they had a very wide consensus, so we couldn’t actually block the constitution. If however there is no consensus within ZANU PF (If Mnangangwa’s faction does not want this constitutional provision to go through) the great irony is that the MDC, the opposition MPs in parliament, actually control the swing vote and we can go with whatever faction we choose.”

He added; “I should think that both factions of the MDC would of course not want the constitution to be amended and we would side with whatever faction is determined to see the election take place in 2008.”

Chamisa said the progressive forces will not allow the regime to extend the mandate of the dictatorship and extend people’s misery. “That is going to be resisted by the people because people want elections as of yesterday.”