20110430
SW Radio Africa (London)

Both the MDC-T and ZANU PF have now ruled out the holding of fresh elections this year to break the political deadlock in the country.



Speaking at his party congress in Bulawayo, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said elections can only take place in 12 months time after democratic reforms have been completed.

ZANU PF spent the best part of the year trying to engineer an early election under chaotic conditions. Senior MDC-T ministers and MP's were arrested and harassed while youth militia from ZANU PF were unleashed to target MDC-T supporters in areas like Mbare. Analysts concluded this was an attempt to force the MDC-T out of the coalition government and force an early election.

But the SADC Troika summit in Zambia is thought to have changed the dynamics, as the regional grouping took an unprecedented harder stance, demanding an end to violence, harassment and intimidation. Calls for an early election from ZANU PF subsequently died down.

Speaking to the state owned Herald newspaper, ZANU PF chief negotiator and Justice Minister, Patrick Chinamasa, this week signaled the new reality. "It is my own opinion that it is not possible to hold elections this year. We need to start talking about elections next year or 2013, assuming that the referendum is completed in September as we have been advised by COPAC," he said.

Tsvangirai in Bulawayo was meanwhile emphasizing the need for the polls to produce an outcome which cannot be contested. The party negotiators announced last week that they had agreed on an election roadmap which would require constitutional, legal and electoral reforms before any poll. The composition of the Election Commission, among other things, remains one of the sticking points.

Next week the negotiators are scheduled to meet facilitators from South Africa to discuss the draft roadmap.