Zuma Facilitation Working On Free And Fair Elections

The SADC appointed facilitator to the Zimbabwean crisis Jacob Zuma’ s
team has been in Harare the whole of this week meeting parties to the
GPA to finalise the framework for the elections.

“ We are working towards a free and fair election in election in
Zimbabwe, an election which will be free of violence and intimidation
or anything considered an impediment to holding credible elections by
the SADC guidelines on elections, ” Lindiwe Zulu, Zuma’s special
advisor told Radio VOP.

Zulu returned back to South Africa on Friday but left the other two
facilitators – former anti-apartheid activist Mac Maharaj and South
African cabinet Minister Charles Nqakula to have further meetings with
the political parties.

Zulu said the facilitation team is in Harare to consult the political
parties on how they see a draft of the election roadmap and collate
their views. She said Zuma was particularly concerned about the upsurge in violence.

“ Elections can be broad, they happen in a particular environment and
we are trying to build towards a free and fair environment. The
facilitator himself is particularly concerned about the upsurge in
violence, ” said Zulu.

Asked if her party discussed the recent arrest of civic activists who
were arrested and charged with treason last week.
She said: “ Those issues are coming up in the discussions and we also
have concerns on such issues. ”

Zulu said they met with all the three party which are signatories to
the GPA and will continue doing so.She would not commit herself to saying whether Zimbabwe will be ready to hold an election this year saying such things will be subject to Zimbabwean laws but her team will work to ensure that the country will only have a free and fair election.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and President Robert Mugabe have in
the past indicated that they would both like to have an early election
to bring to an end the fragile coalition government.
But Tsvangirai and the country’s civic society are arguing that
certain reforms should be met before an election could be held. Some of
these reforms include the conclusion of the constitution making
process, electoral reforms and reform of the security sector among
others.