We pity people like Dumisani Muleya, who have voluntarily decided to stick their heads in Rhodie butts, and waffle from the intoxicating and choking shit.
Someone should help this idiot remove his head from Rhodesian arseholes.
Mugabe Re-Election Becomes 'Almost Certain'
Business Day (Johannesburg)
NEWS
19 September 2007
Posted to the web 19 September 2007
By Dumisani Muleya
Johannesburg
ZIMBABWE's bitter rival political parties, the ruling Zanu (PF) and the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), yesterday reached an agreement on constitutional amendments to facilitate joint presidential and parliamentary elections next year.
The agreement, announced in parliament amid expectations it would pave the way to resolve the country's worsening political and economic crisis, almost certainly ensures President Robert Mugabe would be re-elected for another five-year term of office. This would extend his rule to 32 years.
Mugabe has been desperate to ensure the Constitutional Amendment (Number 18) Bill is adopted by both Zanu (PF) and the MDC to guarantee the legitimacy of his grand plan to secure re-election and manage his succession crisis.
Even if Zanu (PF) has the necessary majority to pass the Bill alone, it would have been viewed as illegitimate if the MDC did not endorse it. By agreeing to the bill, the MDC unwittingly ensures Mugabe goes to the elections in a much stronger position than he would have done if the bill was not passed with its support.
The bill is designed to bring together the presidential and parliamentary elections.
Officially, government claims this will help to cut down the costs of elections, but the real reason was revealed in the Zanu (PF) central committee meeting on March 30.
Zanu (PF) senior official and legal affairs secretary Emmerson Mnangagwa said joint elections would help Mugabe's re-election bid because it would ensure Mugabe and ruling party MPs' political fates were tied together.
Minutes of the March 30 meeting also show that the decision to hold the joint elections was not a Zanu (PF) resolution, but that of Mugabe, Mnangagwa and senior party official Patrick Chinamasa who is currently spearheading Mugabe's plan in parliament.
Zanu (PF) overwhelmingly wanted the elections in 2010, but powerful elements unilaterally declared they would be held in 2008.
Retired army commander general Solomon Mujuru, a powerful force in Zimbabwean politics, blocked Zanu (PF)'s original effort to have both elections in 2010, saying Mugabe would benefit from another two years in power.
The bill also helps Mugabe to manage his explosive succession battle.
It ensures Mugabe's successor is hand-picked by parliament and Zanu (PF) insiders, which guarantees Mnangagwa will take power, sidelining the Mujuru faction.
While Mugabe makes concessions on electoral issues in the bill as a result of the ongoing talks between Zanu (PF) and the MDC facilitated by President Thabo Mbeki, Mugabe and Chinamasa made it clear in the Zanu (PF) politburo on September 5 the changes agreed to would not affect their grip on power.
Mbeki and the MDC are under pressure to salvage something from the talks.
Mbeki wants a solution for the 14-nation Southern African Development Community, while the MDC wants a negotiated settlement.
But in the end Mugabe and Zanu (PF) emerge as winners because the Bill takes off pressure with a manageable early election.
Meanwhile, an international think-tank yesterday called on SADC leaders to put pressure on Mugabe to retire.
In a report entitled Zimbabwe: A Regional Solution? the ICG said the SADC was Zimbabwe's "only real hope". It urges western leaders "to close ranks" behind Mbeki.
The report coincided with the release of figures by Zimbabwe's Central Statistics Office that showed hyperinflation had slowed to an annualised 6593% , down from 7635% in July.
The drop was attributed to a government decree in June forcing traders to slash prices by over half on a range of goods.
The move resulted in panic buying and widespread shortages.
With Sapa-AFP
No comments:
Post a Comment