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A race against time

The probability of President Mugabe scuppering constitutional reforms and calling a snap election is firming up

Both President Robert Gabriel Mugabe’s Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) want elections as soon as possible. Each blames the other for foot dragging. Frustration is running high after 32 months of dysfunctional power-sharing government. Welshman Ncube, leader of MDC-Ncube, argues that without national agreement on a new constitution, security and independent institutions to manage the vote, an early election could see a repeat of the murderous violence of 2008. Work outstanding on the constitution – grassroots consultation and redrafting clauses – followed by delimiting the new constituencies and a fresh (accurate) electoral register could take another year.That would mean elections in early 2013....

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Free article preview

A race against time

The probability of President Mugabe scuppering constitutional reforms and calling a snap election is firming up

end of free article preview

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