Zanu PF yesterday suffered a major blow when its push to hold elections this year crumbled after the Sadc Troika on Defence, Politics and Security shot down the party’s demand in Angola, insisting that reforms leading to polls had to be implemented first.
Zimbabwe’s political leaders who represented the signatories to the Global Political Agreement (GPA) presented their positions on the country’s situation, after which the Troika deliberated on them.
Minister of State in Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Office Jameson Timba last night announced on his social networking platform Facebook page that Zanu PF had suffered a defeat in their bid to hold elections before reforms recommended by the regional bloc had been concluded.
“No elections without constitution and reforms. So no elections in 2012. Zanu PF position had no takers,” wrote Timba.
Dewa Mavhinga of the Crisis Coalition of Zimbabwe, who is in Angola attending the summit, also told NewsDay that indications were that elections would not take place until the necessary reforms as stated in the GPA had been instituted.
“What has come out is that elections cannot be conducted without the necessary reforms which will ensure that there is a conducive environment in which to hold elections,” Mavhinga said. “The full summit will now receive a report from the Troika and it will produce a communiqué,” he added.
Added Timba: “Zanu PF’s position was elections this year with or without a new constitution and without reforms. In the meeting today that I attended, they specifically asked for elections now without the constitution. The GNU constitutionally ends on June 30, 2013 with or without reforms,” Timba added.
The State broadcaster ZBC’s website also confirmed that the Troika had “called for a speedy conclusion to all outstanding issues in Zimbabwe’s Global Political Agreement”.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
President Robert Mugabe, who spoke at the extraordinary summit, was quoted as saying the constitution-making process had to be concluded soon because “the people of Zimbabwe were expecting elections sooner rather than later”.
The Troika was chaired by the Sadc-appointed facilitator in the Zimbabwe crisis South African President Jacob Zuma.
