The special summit of the Southern African Development Community today urged President Robert Mugabe to postpone elections which he slotted for 31 July because they feared that hurrying the elections would increase the chances of a disputed result and violence.
The regional body, however, acknowledged the ruling of the Constitutional Court which set the date for the elections but urged the Zimbabwean government to ask the court for more time.
“What the summit recommended was, in recognising that there was a need for more time, that the government of Zimbabwe engage the Constitutional Court to ask for more time beyond the deadline of July 31,” SADC secretary general Tomaz Salomao said.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has vowed not to comply with the date and says the earliest that the country can hold the elections is 25 August.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti told the United Nations yesterday that Zimbabwe did not have the money to hold the elections.
The SADC summit which was supposed to discuss the financing of the elections apparently did not do so.
Earlier this year, Biti said the country did not have money to hold the referendum on the new constitution but it was held and overwhelmingly approved the new law under which the next elections will be held.
Mugabe said he had to fast-track legislation that should have gone through Parliament to comply with the deadline set by the Constitutional Court.
Though Mugabe has been defiant in the past, he is desperate to regain legitimacy, and can bow down honourably to the SADC decision without losing face.
Such a gesture would also win him votes at home as it will demonstrate that he is not afraid of losing but wants to abide by the law.
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