Mbeki may yet be Zimbabwe's saviour
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Interview with South Africa's City Press newspaper.
What's going to happen in the next couple of weeks in your view?
We have to come to some closure on the March 29 election and that specific process should be wrapped up by the end of this week, such that by this time next week we should know what officialdom says was the final outcome of both the presidential election, the results of which have not been announced, and the parliamentary election which is going through a recount in the 23 constituencies and affecting the balance of power in terms of who will control parliament.
So, at the very least, by this time next week we should know the official position as to the outcome of the presidential election and who controls parliament. However, that will not assist much because it's the official position, which position will not have many takers given that it has been compromised by the inexplicable delay surrounding the presidential election results and also the inexplicable decision to order a recount of 23 constituencies whose results had been declared as final.
It is unusual, in fact unheard of, that an authority declares the final result, turns around and reopens the same results. In terms of due process, when an authority has made a final declaration, it stands. It can only be overturned another authority, in this case the Electoral Court. Even if that authority discovers something wrong, when they do that, their discovery should form part of an affidavit that is submitted to somebody else to look at. So we have this background in which the first public reaction will be to question the official declaration that must be made this week. We are about to move to the real problem which is a political stand-off in Zimbabwe. And that stand-off will not be resolved by the official declaration of the results, whatever is declared.
What's going to happen in the next couple of weeks in your view?
We have to come to some closure on the March 29 election and that specific process should be wrapped up by the end of this week, such that by this time next week we should know what officialdom says was the final outcome of both the presidential election, the results of which have not been announced, and the parliamentary election which is going through a recount in the 23 constituencies and affecting the balance of power in terms of who will control parliament.
So, at the very least, by this time next week we should know the official position as to the outcome of the presidential election and who controls parliament. However, that will not assist much because it's the official position, which position will not have many takers given that it has been compromised by the inexplicable delay surrounding the presidential election results and also the inexplicable decision to order a recount of 23 constituencies whose results had been declared as final.
It is unusual, in fact unheard of, that an authority declares the final result, turns around and reopens the same results. In terms of due process, when an authority has made a final declaration, it stands. It can only be overturned another authority, in this case the Electoral Court. Even if that authority discovers something wrong, when they do that, their discovery should form part of an affidavit that is submitted to somebody else to look at. So we have this background in which the first public reaction will be to question the official declaration that must be made this week. We are about to move to the real problem which is a political stand-off in Zimbabwe. And that stand-off will not be resolved by the official declaration of the results, whatever is declared.
Mugabe can't stomach defeat
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By Prof. Jonathan Moyo
IF there is one sobering thing that can be unequivocally said about why the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has scandalously delayed the announcement of the March 29 presidential election, it is simply that President Robert Mugabe did not win the election and is now desperately trying to steal the result through an unjustified recount because he does not have any prospect of winning a run-off or a re-run.
Had Mugabe won the election, even with less than the absolute majority required under the Electoral Act, ZEC would have announced the result ages ago and Zimbabweans would have been spared the constitutional uncertainty and political anxiety that have put the nation on the brink of utter chaos and mayhem.
The simple truth which ZEC has found hard to stomach and which Mugabe and his shocked cronies have found hard to swallow is that Morgan Tsvangirai won the presidential election even if with less than the required absolute majority. In other words, Tsvangirai got more votes than Mugabe and thus defeated him.
IF there is one sobering thing that can be unequivocally said about why the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has scandalously delayed the announcement of the March 29 presidential election, it is simply that President Robert Mugabe did not win the election and is now desperately trying to steal the result through an unjustified recount because he does not have any prospect of winning a run-off or a re-run.
Had Mugabe won the election, even with less than the absolute majority required under the Electoral Act, ZEC would have announced the result ages ago and Zimbabweans would have been spared the constitutional uncertainty and political anxiety that have put the nation on the brink of utter chaos and mayhem.
The simple truth which ZEC has found hard to stomach and which Mugabe and his shocked cronies have found hard to swallow is that Morgan Tsvangirai won the presidential election even if with less than the required absolute majority. In other words, Tsvangirai got more votes than Mugabe and thus defeated him.
Zimbabwe has 'hung parliament and a hung presidency'
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Through New Zimbabwe
ZIMBABWE’S ruling Zanu PF party has lost control of parliament, but the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) doesn’t control it either, political scientist and independent Tsholotsho North MP Jonathan Moyo said this week.
Moyo said Zimbabwe was in a unique political situation “with a hung parliament and a hung presidency”, and any party that assumes power must cut deals with the smaller MDC faction led by Arthur Mutambara.
Moyo said for a political party to appoint a Speaker and pass laws through Zimbabwe’s parliament, at least 106 MPs were needed in the 210-member chamber -- and the MDC’s current 99 falls short of that. Zanu PF has 97 seats, the Mutambara faction of the MDC 10 and Moyo won as an independent.
ZIMBABWE’S ruling Zanu PF party has lost control of parliament, but the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) doesn’t control it either, political scientist and independent Tsholotsho North MP Jonathan Moyo said this week.
Moyo said Zimbabwe was in a unique political situation “with a hung parliament and a hung presidency”, and any party that assumes power must cut deals with the smaller MDC faction led by Arthur Mutambara.
Moyo said for a political party to appoint a Speaker and pass laws through Zimbabwe’s parliament, at least 106 MPs were needed in the 210-member chamber -- and the MDC’s current 99 falls short of that. Zanu PF has 97 seats, the Mutambara faction of the MDC 10 and Moyo won as an independent.
Mugabe likely to win with a small margin
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Through New Zimbabwe
A LEADING Zimbabwean political commentator has tipped President Robert Mugabe to “scrap through” in a weekend election but warns that without a unity government, the country would be ungovernable.
Professor Jonathan Moyo, a former information minister and political scientist, said the country was deeply divided, and the outcome of the elections will reveal widespread polarisation which can only be bridged by “a government of many talents”.
A LEADING Zimbabwean political commentator has tipped President Robert Mugabe to “scrap through” in a weekend election but warns that without a unity government, the country would be ungovernable.
Professor Jonathan Moyo, a former information minister and political scientist, said the country was deeply divided, and the outcome of the elections will reveal widespread polarisation which can only be bridged by “a government of many talents”.
Moyo predicts unprecedented chaos in Zimbabwe elections
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By Fikile Mapala through New Zimbabwe
Political scientist and independent MP for Tsholotsho Professor Jonathan Moyo said Zimbabwe was going into an election it could not afford after a constitutional amendment passed last year brought forward council, senate, parliamentary and presidential elections to be held on the same day.
Moyo, a respected academic and former information minister, said the Zanu PF government had no capacity to run such a mammoth election.
Political scientist and independent MP for Tsholotsho Professor Jonathan Moyo said Zimbabwe was going into an election it could not afford after a constitutional amendment passed last year brought forward council, senate, parliamentary and presidential elections to be held on the same day.
Moyo, a respected academic and former information minister, said the Zanu PF government had no capacity to run such a mammoth election.
Makoni's chances in 2008
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By Fikile Mapala via New Zimbabwe
ZIMBABWE’S former information minister Professor Jonathan Moyo has described independent presidential candidate, Simba Makoni, election bid as “ridiculous” and “bizarre”. Moyo, who is the independent MP for Tsholotsho constituency in Matabeleland North province, likened Makoni to a “bad doctor” giving a patient the wrong medicine after making the correct diagnosis.
ZIMBABWE’S former information minister Professor Jonathan Moyo has described independent presidential candidate, Simba Makoni, election bid as “ridiculous” and “bizarre”. Moyo, who is the independent MP for Tsholotsho constituency in Matabeleland North province, likened Makoni to a “bad doctor” giving a patient the wrong medicine after making the correct diagnosis.