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NewsDay

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Mugabe sparks fears of another bloodbath

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The threat by President Robert Mugabe to drag the country into a referendum on the new constitution next month followed by fresh elections is a recipe for economic and political chaos, opposition parties and analysts have warned. Mugabe last Friday told the Zanu PF central committee meeting that if the referendum is not held in […]

The threat by President Robert Mugabe to drag the country into a referendum on the new constitution next month followed by fresh elections is a recipe for economic and political chaos, opposition parties and analysts have warned.

Mugabe last Friday told the Zanu PF central committee meeting that if the referendum is not held in May he will call for general elections under the Lancaster House charter.

But Veritas, a legal think-tank, said Mugabes insistence on a referendum next month were unpractical.

Veritas warned an election this year would be marred by violence and chaos.

It said elections organised using the current constitution will be a sham in the eyes of the region and the world.

Mugabe, Veritas warned, would also lose the legitimacy gained after signing the Global Political Agreement (GPA) if he calls the elections unilaterally.

The MDC led by Welshman Ncube warned Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai against unilaterally determining the date for future elections.

We would like to warn both of them that they risk hitting a brick wall if they continue to deliberately violate provisions of the GPA because both of them cannot set election dates on our behalf, said Kurauone Chihwayi, the MDC spokesperson.

We are a party that has the capacity to flex its muscles if this political nonsense continues, and President Mugabe and PM Tsvangirai should stop political grandstanding.

MDC signed the GPA alongside MDC T and Zanu PF following the disputed 2008 presidential run-off election.

However, MDC has not been involved in decision-making by principals in the inclusive government after its former leader Arthur Mutambara refused to make way for Ncube.

Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn president Simba Makoni also called on Zimbabweans to reject an election before reforms that guarantee a free and fair poll.

Let us all be wary of the machinations of President Robert Mugabe who is intent on leading this country into yet another bloodbath reminiscent or worse than the run-up to June 27, 2008 election run-off, Makoni said in a statement.

The peace-loving citizens of Zimbabwe should stand their ground and fiercely resist being cowed into another bloodletting extravaganza.

If President Mugabe forces an election without the necessary reforms, we will have a repeat of 2008, which will be a disastrous non-event.

Job Sikhala, leader of MDC 99, said his party was tired of institutionalised politics ushered in by President Mugabe since 1980.

As long as Mugabe still presides over bloody elections, we will never participate in that farce, Sikhala said.

We have already gone into the trenches to fight dictatorship and are strategising on how to overthrow Mugabe.

Zanu Ndonga national chairperson, Reketayi Semwayo said electoral and media reforms were necessary before elections.

At the moment they (ZBC) only play Zanu PF jingles and you never hear Zanu Ndonga jingles, he said.

I recently advised President Mugabe that he should not talk of elections until we have a new constitution and said it would bring political and economic uncertainty.

Mugabe says he wants fresh elections because the inclusive government has become dysfunctional.