yearning for.
Zimbabwe’s friends and foes all seem agreed that elections are the only way to resolve the political question in our country and that they will not have any option but to work with whomever wins the 2012 elections.
Sadc leaders have made it clear that only elections will bring finality to the challenges Zimbabwe is facing and they have urged the parties to the Global Political Agreement to speedily work towards holding credible, free and fair elections.

The GPA parties have since negotiated and signed an election roadmap with clear timelines, and Sadc has endorsed it.
Early this week the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission announced that it had submitted a US$220 million budget to Treasury for both the referendum and the general elections.
In so doing they were confirming that they are ready to hold elections if the money is made available.
ZEC vice-chairperson, Mrs Joyce Kazembe put it succinctly: “We came up with a budget we submitted to Treasury and as soon as we get the money we are ready to roll.”

Finance Minister Tendai Biti must now budget for the referendum and elections and this must be reflected in his budget presentation for 2012.
If elections have potential to unlock the economy then they must be given priority in budgeting.
The fact that Mr Biti’s party, MDC-T and the other formation are not excited about the elections should not stop Mr Biti from playing his constitutional role and provide the funding that is necessary for ZEC to deliver a credible election.

Statements that followed the announcement by ZEC show that the two MDC formations are still ambivalent about the elections and they will need to be persuaded to accept that there is no way of avoiding elections if they want to continue to exercise authority over the people of Zimbabwe.
MDC-T deputy national chairperson Morgan Komichi said the election roadmap is more important than releasing money for elections.

But the roadmap will not be fully adhered to if money is not released to complete the new constitution and to hold a referendum as soon as possible.
Constitution drafters are busy with the drafting and as soon as they finish an all stake-holders meeting will be held and the stage will be set for a referendum.
The roadmap is part of the holding of elections.

Professor Welshman Ncube’s MDC is opposed to elections next year and the ostensible reason given by its vice-president Edwin Mushoriwa is that the party wants “a proper roadmap for credible elections”.
Yet they have already been part of negotiations to the roadmap and they have appended their signature to it.
The truth is that they fear elections because their prospects of doing well are dim.

Sadc, through the mediator, will need to prod the parties to the GPA to move with speed towards the elections.
There is really nothing in the roadmap which is totally new.
Most of the fears have to do with the possibility of the resurgence of violence and claims that the playing field is not level.

This is exactly what the roadmap seeks to address and leaders of the political parties are being challenged to ensure that a conducive environment is created.
Addressing the Zanu-PF 86th ordinary session of the Central Committee early this month, President Mugabe said there should be a meeting of the highest decision making bodies in Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations ahead of the elections.

This would ensure the polls are held in a peaceful and conducive environment.
He told the Central Committee: “Let us work for a culture of peace and non-violence and let us take this message to our provinces and districts and people will welcome that.”
When opening Parliament he also called on both houses to expeditiously deal with the Referendum Bill and the amendments to the Electoral Act agreed by the negotiating teams and adopted by Cabinet.

The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe is presently conducting public hearings for those who want to go into broadcasting.
A lot of work is going on on many fronts such that those opposed to elections will soon run out of excuses.

Predictably, the MDC formations will continue to raise issues that Zanu-PF has said are not negotiable such as security sector reforms as a way of trying to delay the elections.
But these are not GPA issues and Sadc will mostly likely ignore them.

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