ZIMBABWE CRISIS REPORTS
Issue 22 FEBRUARY 2008 Fresh insights into the Zimbabwean situation
MDC’S POSITION SHORT ON CLARITY
As the opposition agonises over tactics, the Zimbabwean president pre-empts any compromise by setting an election date.
By Marvelous Chigora in Harare
The Zimbabwean opposition seems to have been caught off balance by the announcement that joint presidential and parliamentary elections will go ahead on March 29.
When President Robert Mugabe announced the poll date on January 25, he demolished all hope that the election might be delayed until a new Credit: Lazele constitution was agreed. Police bar MDC supporters from marching through Harare in support of a new constitution. Picture taken January 23. The postponement was a key demand that the opposition had been pressing The decision came as the divided to devote its energies to organising for in the negotiating process opposition Movement for Democratic mass action to push for a new mediated by the South African Change. MDC, already appeared to constitution. It announced a Development Community, SADC, be struggling to find a clear “freedom march” through the streets aimed at ending the country’s political strategy. of Harare to press for a constitution and economic crisis. The mediation that would guarantee free and fair effort is being led by South African Shortly before the election date was elections, and for a postponement of president Thabo Mbeki. announced, the party had decided the election.
NEWS IN BRIEF