Former senior minister, David Magang, says given the rate at which people are being killed in Zimbabwe ahead of the Presidential Elections run-off, SADC leaders should consider postponing elections in that country.
It is worthless if people should be killed at this rate just in the name of elections, Magang told The Sunday Standard this week.
It is estimated that at least 70 people have since died as part of spiraling violence in the build up to the election re-run between President Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change.
Tsvangirai won the first round but not with a margin big enough to avert a re-run.
“Elections are a waste of time if people are dying like this,” Magang said.
He said it is also unacceptable that already the army and police are behind ZANU-PF, saying that alone significantly erodes all the chances of the elections being free and fair.
Magang said given the history of Mugabe’s violence as shown by the way he killed people in the Matebeleland and Midlands provinces in the 1980s, there is all likelihood that if SADC leaders are not careful Zimbabwe could slide into a civil war.
“The problem now is that people are going to die before the elections and even thereafter. As things stand elections are a waste of time. Knowing Mugabe, he will continue killing people who would not have voted for him,” said Magang.
The former minister suggested a Government of National Unity for Zimbabwe as a stop gap until conditions are conducive to hold free and fair elections.
He said instead of an election a way has to be found to negotiate Mugabe’s way out so that he does not become a part of the Government of National Unity.
In Mugabe’s place Magang suggests another ZANUPF strongman, Emerson Mnangagwa, who he says should become State President with the law changed to make Tsvangirai Prime Minister.
“There is a precedent in Kenya. Under the circumstance a compromise has to be found,” he said.
