Zimbabwe By-Elections Mooted, Raising Fears Of More Political Violence
Critics argue that calling by-elections runs counter to the spirit of the Sept. 15 power-sharing pact, which cited "the need to give ou
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, widely criticized for its handling of the country's March general election and June presidential run-off ballot, has come under fire after announcing plans to organize by-elections to fill six empty parliamentary seats. Critics argue that this is contrary to the spirit of the Sept. 15 power-sharing pact between the long-ruling ZANU-PF party of President Robert Mugabe and the Movement for Democratic Change of prime minister-designate Morgan Tsvangirai. Citing "the need to allow this agreement to take rootamongst the parties and the people of Zimbabwe" and "to give our people...breathing space and a healing period" the accord says that for one year only the party holding a seat should field a candidate if it is vacated. In the House of Assembly, the Gokwe-Gumunyu seat wasvacated on the deathof ZANU-PF MP Ephraim Mushoriwa. The Matobo North seat became emptywhen Chairman Lovemore Moyo of the Tsvangirai MDC formation was electedhouse speaker. The Guruve North seat fell vacant upon the death oflawmaker CletusMabharanga of ZANU-PF. On the senate side, the Chegutu seat wasvacated by ZANU-PF's Edna Madzongwe when she was elected senatepresident; the Chiredzi seat fell vacant after Titus Maluleke ofZANU-PFwas appointed Provincial Governor of Masvingo; and the Gokwe South seatwas vacated by Jaison Max Kokerai Machaya of ZANU-PF, named Midlandsprovincial governor. Electoral Commission officials say they are merely following the law. But observers express concern that holdingby-elections at this stage in the tenuous power-sharing process could leadto violence in the six constituencies where seats would be filled. The Zimbabwe Election Support Network saysby-elections should not be held because the nation is still in shock from the widespread and often deadly violence which marred the period between the March elections and theJune presidential run-off ballot.