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that will ensure that next year’s harmonised elections are peaceful and credible.
Presenting a lecture on Zimbabwe’s next elections in Harare last night, PM Tsvangirai said it was important for people to heed the call by political leaders for a non-violent campaign.
He said the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee had played a major role in quenching violence in Zimbabwe.
“We are also going to set up a political code of conduct by all political parties on how to conduct ourselves during the elections or else the result of any particular incidence may affect the outcome at that particular polling station. That has to be taken into consideration,” he said.
“We have an independent Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and I hope that the commission will discharge its duties professionally.
“I am sure it will be a test for this ZEC to achieve that standard. Don’t think they also don’t want credibility. They want credibility and I am sure that the choice of our ZEC from all the political parties will change the character of our ZEC.” PM Tsvangirai said political parties would continue to call for violence-free campaigns.
He said the measures were sufficient to make the election result credible.
“Ukazoona pasara munhu one anenge achiti tsvimbo mugotsi, rinenge rava demon. But I can tell you, we may never eliminate all violence because some people may just beat up others over their quarrels.
“No one would have sent them. Let’s make sure the next election is a legitimate exercise,” he said. PM Tsvangirai said all political parties in Government were committed to seeing the constitution-making process succeed.
He said the Second All Stakeholders’ Conference was only there to receive the Copac draft while proposed amendments from the conference would be dealt with by Copac.
He said there would be sufficient security at the conference to ensure the disruptions that characterised the First All Stakeholders’ Conference would not be repeated.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister confirmed that there had been reshuffling of personnel in his office. In a statement on Wednesday, the PM’s spokesperson, Mr Luke Tamborinyoka said there had been re-alignments.
It is understood that Mr Tsvangirai fired his confidante, Mr Ian Makone, chief of protocol, Mr James Maridadi, director for policy implementation, Mr Lazarus Muriritirwa and Mr Gandhi Mudzingwa. There are reports that the quartet were victimised for the role they played in the Prime Minister’s sex scandals.
Online Reporter