MDC wants fresh elections

JOHANESBURG – Fresh elections are the only way to a lasting solution for Zimbabwe, the MDC in South Africa said yesterday.

‘We sincerely believe that SADC (Southern African Development Community) must now shift its attention and start organising the new election sooner than soonest instead of romanticising a loser of (an) election (President Robert Mugabe),’ said MDC chairman in South Africa Austin Moyo at a media briefing in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.The briefing was held as South Africa negotiators returned to Harare in a bid to iron out the troubles plaguing Zimbabwe’s unity government.’This (elections) should be started by breathing life into a new constitution and Electoral Act.’Moyo told of an increase in farm attacks in Zimbabwe and attempts to strip power from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai by Zanu-PF in the power sharing government.Problems in governance in the southern African country include alleged attempts by Zanu-PF to cling on to power.The global power-sharing agreement, which will be a year old tomorrow, stated that a new constitution had to be in place before fresh elections could be held.The agreement stipulated that the constitution should be finalised within 18 months. However, Moyo charged that attempts to finalise the constitution were being frustrated by Zanu-PF.This is because, said Moyo, the current constitution favoured Zanu-PF.Moyo wants the South African delegation to put aside all other aspects of the negotiation and push for the finalisation of a new constitution.- Nampa-Sapa