Thursday 20 March 2008

Zimbabwe: What Prospects from a Flawed Election?

Zimbabwe: Prospects from a Flawed Election, is the latest report from the International Crisis Group

In their opinion, the international community needs to have contingency plans ready in anticipation of rigged elections in Zimbabwe on 29 March that could precipitate a potentially violent crisis.

The report examines likely scenarios for Zimbabwe’s simultaneous presidential, parliamentary and municipal elections. Even though President Robert Mugabe has two serious challengers, including for the first time one from within his own ruling party, they conclude that he probably has the means to manipulate the process before, during and after balloting, sufficiently to keep his office, though possibly only after a violent run-off. If that happens, they predict that no government will emerge capable of ending the country’s long crisis.

Read more at http://www.crisisgroup.org/