President Robert Mugabe’s plans to hold elections by June 29 continue to draw suspicion with analysts saying the dates are not tenable as long as critical political and other reforms have not been implemented. But other analysts said implementation of reforms should be speeded up as it would be impossible to do that after June 29 when Parliament is automatically dissolved in accordance with the Constitution. Mugabe last week indicated in an urgent High Court chamber application that following the adoption of a new draft constitution in the recent referendum, harmonised elections will be held by June 29.
The government on Thursday gazetted the draft charter as a constitutional bill paving the way for its tabling in Parliament on May 7.
University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer, Shakespeare Hamauswa said there was no reason for holding polls in June other than intimidating Zanu PF opponents who still feared the violence which characterised the June 27 2008 Presidential election run-off.
He said most people still remembered the month of June with “disheartening memories”. “If it is true that the MDC-T lost some of its 200 supporters, then it is not only the month that will be significant to Zanu PF, but also the date [29] because of it being closer to 27,” said Hamauswa. He said the process of adopting the new constitution also required a lot of time, making it impossible to hold elections in June.
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