US ambassador plods into domestic affairs

Mr Wharton also wrote similar letters to the Police and the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation expressing disquiet on the way the two institutions were conducting their business.

The American letters come in the wake of the failure by after the two MDC formations which are now pushing for another Sadc Summit on Zimbabwe before elections dismally failed to justify the need for the so-called security and media reforms.

In his letter which is undiplomatic in nature, Mr Wharton demanded answers from Mr Mudede on several issues relating to voter registration.
He said he was concerned with the way voter registration was conducted in urban areas a situation which he said was counter to the intent of the Zimbabwean law and the Sadc guidelines on elections on elections.

“It is my understanding that there are extremely long queues and waits of two to three days, for Zimbabweans wishing to register to vote in urban areas of the nation,” he said.
“If this is correct, it would appear to be contrary to the intent of the Zimbabwe’s Constitution and Electoral Act and the Sadc guidelines on elections (Section 2.1.6)
Mr Wharton said it was important for Zimbabwe to meet the election guidelines it had set for itself.

“This letter is an expression of my desire to support a credible electoral process in Zimbabwe and be clear about the elements I believe are important in that process,” he said.
Just like in his previous letters to the Police and ZBC, Mr Wharton promised not to share the letter with the media, political parties or civic organisations.

He said the intention of his letter was to ‘help achieve peaceful, credible and transparent elections in Zimbabwe.’
Efforts to get a comment from Mr Mudede were fruitless by time of going to print.

The Voter Registration in question ended on Tuesday with almost 1 million new voters being added on the Voters’ Roll. Last week Mr Mudede dismissed reports that his Office was sabotaging the registration process.

He said in any case officials from his offices had gone out of their way to work even after hours.
A political analyst who spoke on condition of anonymity said the US Government and other Western Governments decided to take the regime change agenda in their hands after their Trojan horse failed to deliver.