Gerrymandering : Increase from 14 to 26 constituencies in 2008.

Mugabe amends electoral laws

With Zimbabwe's crucial 29 March elections just over a week away, President Mugabe has once again backtracked on changes agreed to at the South African-brokered talks between the government opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Under the agreed electoral laws, to avoid intimidation of voters, police were not allowed within 100 metres of a polling station. However, according to state radio, the newly amended electoral laws allow policemen into polling stations so they can "assist" illiterate people to vote.

Observer mission selection criticised as partisan

A Southern African Development Community (SADC) observer mission comprising about 80 officials from the region was due to arrive in the Zimbabwean capital of Harare on Sunday - 19 days ahead of the March 29 elections.

SADC said it expected to have around 150 observer delegates in place before the combined presidential, parliamentary, senate and local government elections.

South Africa is due to send an observer mission with 54 members drawn from government, parliament, the political opposition and civil society. South Africa has previously observed elections in Zimbabwe independently, but for this crucial election, the group will operate under the auspices of SADC. The controversial 2005 election was endorsed by South Africa, generating widespread criticism.

The South African-based Electoral Institute of Southern Africa has sought permission to send observers, but a spokesman for the group said it awaited a response from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. An application was also under consideration from the Parliamentary Forum of SADC, whose application to send observers to the 2005 general elections was turned down.

March 2008 Elections - A climate of confusion and fear

News24 (SA) sums up Zimbabwe's electoral landscape with the following comments: "Voters in Zimbabwe's (forthcoming) elections ...will have to puzzle through a blur of alliances, divisions and sub-divisions among the political parties...

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), the official election administrator, has now published a list of 779 candidates for the 210 seats in the lower house of assembly, and 197 aspirants for the 60 elected seats in the upper house, the senate, from 12 political parties and 116 independents...

The muddle of candidates adds to the widespread concern about the elections when, for the first time, the electorate of 5.5 million people will have to mark their Xs on four different ballot papers for presidential, house of assembly, senate and local government wards.

Church and civic groups point out that the head of ZEC, Judge George Chiweshe, has been illegally appointed by Mugabe; that he ignored legal procedures for the setting of the election date; that the boundaries of the constituencies in the elections were illegally promulgated; and that there is evidence of comprehensive manipulation of the voters' roll.