Zim senate approves polls bill

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s senate has approved legislation for joint presidential and legislative elections next year after a compromise between the opposition and government on constitutional reforms.

State television reported said: “All the 56 members of the senate voted in favour of the third reading of the bill.” The draft law now awaited President Robert Mugabe’s assent.Senate leader Samuel Mumbengegwi commended South African President Thabo Mbeki for persuading the ruling and opposition parties to agree to a compromise on constitutional reforms.In a surprise move last week, parliamentarians from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) reached an agreement with the government on the constitutional amendment bill.The bill reduced the presidential term from six to five years, redrew constituency boundaries and provided for joint presidential, parliamentary and local government polls.The agreement in parliament came days after top MDC officials met Mbeki, who was tasked by the Southern African Development Community with brokering dialogue between the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front and the opposition.The MDC had campaigned for a new constitution for the former British colony.Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said that the agreement “should send a clear message that Zimbabweans are their own liberators and brook no interference in their internal affairs”.Analysts had warned that the amendments, initially opposed by the MDC, could cost the opposition victory in next year’s polls.Mugabe, 83, was seeking a seventh term at a time when Zimbabwe was grappling with the world’s highest rate of inflation, widespread food shortages and mass unemployment.Nampa-AFPThe draft law now awaited President Robert Mugabe’s assent.Senate leader Samuel Mumbengegwi commended South African President Thabo Mbeki for persuading the ruling and opposition parties to agree to a compromise on constitutional reforms.In a surprise move last week, parliamentarians from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) reached an agreement with the government on the constitutional amendment bill.The bill reduced the presidential term from six to five years, redrew constituency boundaries and provided for joint presidential, parliamentary and local government polls.The agreement in parliament came days after top MDC officials met Mbeki, who was tasked by the Southern African Development Community with brokering dialogue between the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front and the opposition.The MDC had campaigned for a new constitution for the former British colony.Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said that the agreement “should send a clear message that Zimbabweans are their own liberators and brook no interference in their internal affairs”.Analysts had warned that the amendments, initially opposed by the MDC, could cost the opposition victory in next year’s polls.Mugabe, 83, was seeking a seventh term at a time when Zimbabwe was grappling with the world’s highest rate of inflation, widespread food shortages and mass unemployment.Nampa-AFP