SA speaks on Zim elections

The country’s foreign minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane told that country’s Parliament yesterday that Pretoria also expects full implementation of the Global Political Agreement.
However, President Mugabe, who has the constitutional obligation to call for elections, intimated that the country will hold polls this year with or without a new Constitution.
Minister Nkoana-Mashabane’s remarks come as South African president Jacob Zuma, who is on a tour of the region, is expected in the country next week.
President Zuma was appointed by Sadc to facilitate dialogue between Zanu-PF and the MDC formations to foster an environment of socio-economic stability in readiness for fresh elections. In insisting on polls, President Mugabe argues that the inclusive Government is dysfunctional and has outlived its mandate.
“The GPA envisages that an election in Zimbabwe will only be held following the finalisation of the constitution-making process,” Minister Nkoana-Mashabane said.
Drafting of the new constitution is almost done albeit at a snail’s pace and Copac stands accused of deliberately stalling the process. There are allegations the Copac team that was assigned to come up with a new constitution is dragging its feet in a bid to allow officials to fatten their pockets.
“A committee is drafting a new constitution, after which a referendum and the elections should be held. Our Government therefore expects that there would be no deviation from the provisions of the GPA,” Minister Nkoana-Mashabane said.
In an interview on the eve of his 88 birthday, President Mugabe said elections would be held this year.
“We just must have elections. They just must take place with or without a new Constitution. On our side as a party (Zanu-PF), we made a decision, last year at our conference that this year we definitely have an election exercise.
“If others do not want to have an election then they are free not to participate. Nobody is forced to go to an election but definitely I will exercise my presidential powers in accordance with the main principal law, the Constitution of our country and announce when the election will take place,” said President last month.
He also said Zimbabwe has a right to reject facilitators whose conduct exhibits bias towards another party in the coalition government.
Coincidentally, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai recently called for a delay in the holding of national elections claiming the environment was still not conducive for polls.