After much conflict and controversy, Zimbabwe will hold elections on Wednesday, July 31, 2013. While some are stating that this may be the election that finally ousts Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe from office after 33 years in office, others believe that more of the same will be in store, where the elections are tainted so that the aging president can remain in office.
BBC News Africa is reporting:
“Southern Africa’s chief observer to Zimbabwe, Bernard Membe, says he is gravely concerned that a voters’ roll has not been released two days before tightly contested elections.
This is despite the fact that it is the “most important document” for Wednesday’s election, he added.
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said it plans to take court action to obtain the voters’ roll.
The poll ends the coalition between the MDC and the president’s Zanu-PF party.”
What is the issue? “Ghost voters.” The voters roll (list of registered voters) has not been released causing some to question if the election will be fair. The release of the voters roll is long overdue according to some election officials.
Longtime rivals, President Robert Mugabe, the Zanu-PF candidate and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of the MDC will be squaring off at the ballot box after sharing power since 2009, “a deal brokered by the regional bloc the Southern African Development Community (Sadc), to end conflict that marred elections held the previous year.”
Read more about the elections at BBC News or AllAfrica.com.
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