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This article or section contains information about a forthcoming election. Content may change dramatically as the election approaches. |
| Zimbabwe |
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A presidential election will be held in Zimbabwe on March 29 2008, along with a parliamentary election on the same day."\'Mugabe has slapped Mbeki\'s efforts\'", Sapa-AFP (IOL), January 25, 2008."Zimbabwe sets March date for poll", BBC News, January 25, 2008. The three major candidates are Robert Mugabe of the Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), and Simba Makoni, an independent."Zimbabwe presidential candidates confirmed", AFP, February 15, 2008.
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In late 2006 a plan was proposed that would have delayed the election to 2010, at the same time as the next parliamentary election, which was said to be a cost-saving measure. This would have lengthened President Mugabe\'s term by two years."Mugabe set to rule until 2010", IRIN, 14 December 2006. However, there was reportedly dissent within the ruling ZANU-PF regarding the proposal, and it was never approved. In March 2007, Mugabe said that he thought the feeling in the party favored having the presidential election in 2008, and moving the parliamentary election up by two years instead. He also said that he would be willing to stand for another term if chosen by the party."Mugabe ready for 2008 elections", DPA (IOL), 12 March 2007. On March 30, 2007, it was announced that the ZANU-PF Central Committee had chosen Mugabe as the party\'s candidate for another term in 2008, that presidential terms would be reduced to five years instead of six, and that the parliamentary election would also be held in 2008."Zimbabwe\'s Mugabe to stand in 2008 poll", Reuters (Sydney Morning Herald), March 31, 2007. Later, information was leaked from the same meeting that ZANU-PF had adopted the position of making Mugabe president-for-life."ZIMBABWE: ZANU-PF wants to make Mugabe president for life", IRIN, July 30, 2007.
In 2006, ZANU-PF National Chairman John Nkomo was one of the first to announce he would be ready to contest the election for ZANU-PF if Mugabe chose to retire.Peta Thornycroft, "Zimbabwe\'s Nkomo Announces His Candidacy for President", VOA News, November 27, 2006. Abel Muzorewa, the only prime minister of Zimbabwe Rhodesia, suggested on 21 June 2007 that he might run, claiming that people were urging him to do so."Zimbabwe: Muzorewa Plots Political Comeback", New Zimbabwe (allAfrica.com), June 21, 2007.
Mugabe was chosen by acclamation as ZANU-PF\'s presidential candidate for the 2008 election by delegates at a December 2007 party congress. John Nkomo said that he "did not hear any dissenting voices" and that the congress had "fully and unreservedly" backed Mugabe."Mugabe to run again for Zanu-PF", BBC News, December 13, 2007.
On January 25 2008, the date of the election was announced as March 29. A spokesperson for the faction of the MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai denounced this as "an act of madness and arrogance", while the leader of the other MDC faction, Arthur Mutambara, said that a free and fair election could not be held under the existing conditions, calling for a new constitution to be adopted prior to the election. Talks between the MDC and ZANU-PF collapsed following the announcement of the election date; the MDC had wanted the dialogue to affect the election, while ZANU-PF wanted to hold the election on schedule in March and for any changes agreed in the talks to only take effect afterwards.Celean Jacobson, "Harare dialogue is dead - MDC", Sapa-Associated Press (IOL), February 22, 2008.
Talks to unite the two MDC factions behind the candidacy of Tsvangirai, the leader of the main faction, broke down on 3 February 2008. Mutambara apologized to the people for this failure, while Tsvangirai said that unity could not be imposed by force."Zimbabwe opposition fail to unite", BBC News, February 5, 2008. Analysts viewed the opposition\'s failure to unite as making Mugabe\'s re-election a near-certainty, although Tsvangirai, while expressing regret, said that he believed the opposition still had "a fighting chance" of victory."Opposition now \'mince-meat\' for Zanu-PF", AFP (IOL), February 6, 2008.
Simba Makoni, a former Finance Minister who was a leading member of ZANU-PF, formally announced on 5 February 2008 that he would be a candidate.Fanuel Jongwe, "Ex-minister takes on Mugabe", AFP (The Times, South Africa), February 5, 2008.Sylvia Manika and Blessing Zulu, "Former Finance Minister Makoni Jumps Into Zimbabwe Presidential Race", VOA News, February 5, 2008. He is running as an independent. Joseph Chinotimba from the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association threatened Makoni,"Zimbabwe war vets threaten Makoni", BBC News, February 7, 2008. and ZANU-PF declared him to be expelled from the party; it also said that anyone supporting him would be expelled as well. Tsvangirai said on 11 February that Makoni was merely "old wine in a new bottle" and that he would not ally with Makoni for the election."Mugabe rival expelled from party", BBC News, 12 February 2008.
On 15 February 2008, Mugabe, Tsvangirai, and Makoni filed their nomination papers and were confirmed as candidates by Ignatius Mushangwe, the electoral commission\'s presiding officer. Mugabe\'s papers were submitted by Emmerson Mnangagwa, while Tsvangirai\'s were submitted by Nelson Chamisa; Makoni submitted his papers in person. A fourth candidate, Langton Toungana, was also confirmed, running as an independent. William Gwata of the Christian Democratic Party attempted to run, but his papers were rejected because they were judged as not meeting the criteria, while Daniel Shumba, formerly of ZANU-PF, appeared too late to submit his papers. Mutambara announced on the same day that he would not run for President and would instead back Makoni, while contesting the parliamentary election in Zengeza West.Fikile Mapala, "Mutambara withdraws from race, backs Makoni", newzimbabwe.com, February 15, 2008. Makoni nevertheless stressed that he was running alone and was "not in an alliance with anyone".
Mugabe spoke about Makoni\'s candidacy for the first time on February 21, calling it "absolutely disgraceful", comparing Makoni to a prostitute, and saying that Makoni had a self-important attitude."Mugabe labels rebel former finance minister \'prostitute\'", AFP, February 21, 2008.Lebo Nkatazo, "Mugabe says Makoni \'worse than a prostitute\'", newzimbabwe.com, February 21, 2008. Mugabe also said on the same occasion that Western countries would not be permitted to send observers for the election. Also on February 21, the MDC factions said that their dialogue with ZANU-PF, which collapsed after the announcement of the election date in January, had failed. The factions said that the outcome of the election would not be legitimate.
Speaking at a rally in Beitbridge on February 23, Mugabe likened Makoni to "a frog trying to inflate itself up to the size of an ox" that was sure to burst, while calling Tsvangirai a Western puppet; he predicted an easy victory for ZANU-PF and vowed that "regime change" would never occur in Zimbabwe."Mugabe lambasts challengers", Al Jazeera, February 24, 2008. Mugabe launched his re-election campaign on February 29 in Harare"Mugabe vows to defeat \'two-headed political creatures\' in Zimbabwe election", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), February 29, 2008. and presented ZANU-PF\'s election manifesto, a week after the MDC presented its election manifesto in Mutare."Mugabe partially admits failing Zimbabweans", SABC News, February 29, 2008. He promised increased agricultural production and the reform and improvement of the mining sector,"Mugabe dubs poll rivals \'witches\'", BBC News, February 29, 2008. and he urged the party to acknowledge past failures, such as in the area of infrastructure development. He said that ZANU-PF was united under his leadership: "the struggles within the party that have taken place, and in some cases little wars, have been settled. At the end of the day, we have this congregation with me at the head."
Speaking at a press conference in Bulawayo on March 1, prior to the launch of Makoni\'s campaign, former Interior Minister Dumiso Dabengwa and former Speaker of Parliament Cyril Ndebele announced their support for Makoni."Zanu-PF veterans side with Makoni", AFP (IOL), March 1, 2008.
While U.S. Ambassador James McGee pointed to "ominous signs" that the election would not be free and fair in an open letter in late February, Zambian Foreign Minister Kabinge Pande said that signs were encouraging and that regional leaders believed the election would be free and fair. Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa suggested that the West might not be willing to acknowledge the legitimacy of the election unless Mugabe was defeated.
The Herald reported on February 29 that Retired Major General Paradzayi Zimondi, the head of the prison service, gave his officers an order to vote for Mugabe."\'Vote Mugabe, that\'s an order!\'", Reuters (IOL), February 29, 2008."Vote Mugabe, prison staff ordered", BBC News, February 29, 2008. He said that Tsvangirai and Makoni would reverse land reform if they were elected, and he vowed to resign from his post and return to his farm to protect it if Mugabe were defeated. Makoni has said that he would continue land reform and would not take back any redistributed land unless it was improperly gained. Subsequently, Defence Forces Commander Constantine Chiwenga said that the army supported Mugabe and would "not support or salute sell-outs and agents of the West before, during and after the presidential elections".Nqobani Ndlovu, "I\'ll only salute Mugabe, not sell-outs: Chiwenga", The Standard (Zimbabwe).
On March 4, The Herald reported that several important foreign corporations, including Citigroup, South African Breweries-Miller, and Actis Africa, were providing financial assistance to Makoni\'s campaign; the newspaper called this proof that Makoni\'s "election bid was part of the Western regime change agenda"."UK, SA firms fund Zim\'s Makoni: report", Sapa (IOL), March 4, 2008.
Makoni said in an interview with Agence France-Presse in early March that he anticipated getting at least 72% of the vote and that he was only interested in the concerns of Zimbabweans, not those of the West. According to Makoni, Mugabe "has a very special place in our history" and would receive "the due respect that our African culture and African standards demand of us" if Makoni won the election, stressing that he was "not about retribution and victimisation"."No backlash against Mugabe, says challenger", Sapa-AFP (IOL), March 4, 2008.
On March 5, The Herald reported that Mugabe told a rally in Bazely Bridge that "the British had identified people within Zanu-PF to work with in causing divisions in the party because it realised the ruling party was a united revolutionary liberation movement that had to be destroyed from within". He distributed over 200 computers to Manicaland schools and said that food and farm equipment would also be sent."Makoni presidency a ploy by Britain - Mugabe", IOL, March 5, 2008. On the same day, Mugabe said at a rally in Mahusekwa that some businesses were raising prices with the intent of causing the people to suffer, hoping that they would blame the government for their suffering and vote for the opposition as a result."Mugabe says price hikes undermine him", AFP (IOL), March 5, 2008.
Following a 2005 change in the Electoral Act, this will be the first presidential election in which the winner must receive a majority of the vote, with a second round if necessary within 21 days, contrary to the first-past-the-post system previously in place.Dumisani Muleya, "Zimbabwe: Mugabe \'Could Be Swept Away\' If Forced Into Run-Off", Business Day, Johannesburg (allAfrica.com), February 21, 2008.
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