M.D.C - Decision to suspend its participation in further elections
Mail and Guardian (SA)
The MDC’s decision to suspend its participation in further elections pending Zimbabwe’s compliance with the new SADC guidelines and principles for democratic elections seems to have taken many by surprise.
It was assumed that the MDC would continue to place blind faith in Zanu (PF) eventually opening up the democratic space and restoring citizens’ hard earned democratic rights to participate freely in the democratic process. The MDC has, after all, participated in numerous deeply flawed elections since 2000.
Since the disputed March 2002 Presidential elections we have tried in vain to enter into dialogue with Zanu (PF) to build a national political consensus on the way forward; a consensus that is a pre-requisite for tackling Zimbabwe’s multi-faceted crisis.
The obstinacy of Zanu (PF) towards introducing the reforms that are needed to restore genuine, democratic elections prompted the MDC, in January of this year, to publish our own set of minimum standards for elections in our document entitled ‘Restore’. Our aim was to give Zanu (PF) sufficient time to implement these standards ahead of the March 2005 parliamentary elections.
When Mr. Mugabe agreed with other SADC leaders in Mauritius on a comprehensive set of standards for elections that captured the essential elements of our ‘Restore document’, it appeared that Zanu (PF) would finally embark upon a comprehensive programme of democratic reform in line with SADC standards.
Sadly, the publication by the Government of Zimbabwe, within days of the adoption of the Mauritius principles, of a new draconian Bill to repress and control the activities of human rights organizations made it immediately apparent that the electoral environment in Zimbabwe is actually getting worse, not better, since the Mauritius agreement.