Electoral reforms unlikely to be in place, claims Tsvangirai

Necessary electoral reforms are unlikely to be in place in time for free and fair elections in Zimbabwe next year, even if all political players show their goodwill, Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai said on Thursday. But it was premature to take any decision on boycotting the March elections, Tsvangirai told a press conference in Johannesburg at the end of a regional tour that included a visit to Mauritius to meet the Southern African Development Community (SADC) chair, Prime Minister Paul Berenger. The main focus of the meetings had been to ensure that the Zimbabwean government implemented the SADC protocol on Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections. Since the protocol was signed on 17 August, Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), said there had been "no serious attempt" by the Zimbabwean government to take any steps that would ensure full compliance with the new electoral standards. The democratic deficit in Zimbabwe continued to widen at an alarming rate, according to the MDC, and it was virtually impossible to conduct free and fair elections under the present circumstances. "But we have suspended any decision of boycotting the election, to give the SADC leader [Berenger] an opportunity to rectify the electoral system, so we can have a legitimate outcome", Tsvangirai explained. The MDC has said it has no access to public media, and has also raised concerns over the validity of the voters' roll. Tsvangirai has claimed that the roll was not consistent with the 2002 census, as it showed increased voter registrations in rural areas and a decrease in urban areas, where the MDC has traditionally been strong. "To participate under these conditions would be to sanction or to legitimatise a farce," Tsvangirai said. News agencies also reported Tsvangirai as saying that he had revised his "view of my attitude towards [South African President Thabo] Mbeki and I found him to be more robust." "I found the engagement with President Mbeki very productive and found his attitude to be open, concerned, and of course to be committed to finding a solution," Tsvangirai was reported as saying. Mbeki met Tsvangirai on Monday this week in his capacity as chairman of the SADC organ for defence, politics and security.