Zimbabwe elections important issue for the British people?

Zimbabwe’s elections, whose date has not been finalised yet, are an important issue to the British people according to British Member of Parliament Kate Hoey.

Hoey told the British Parliament yesterday that it had been some time since the House had debated Zimbabwe and the situation in the country was now grave because President Robert Mugabe had decided arbitrarily to call an election, without discussion and with very little of the Global Political Agreement having been carried through.

Zimbabwe is a former British colony and there have been clashes between Mugabe and several British leaders with Mugabe at one time telling British Prime Minister Tony Blair to keep his England and Mugabe keeping his Zimbabwe.

British companies are heavily invested in Zimbabwe and the British government has vowed to protect its companies in Zimbabwe.

It is estimated that there are about 400 British companies in Zimbabwe.

The British Parliament or the House of Lords usually has a lengthy debate on Zimbabwe each year.

Mugabe set 31 July as election date after the Constitutional Court ruled that the elections must be held before that date.

The Southern African Development Community asked the government to request a postponement from Court.

Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa applied for a two week postponement but Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai filed an application for a longer postponement.

The cases will be heard on Thursday next week.

In response to Hoey, Andrew Lansley said yesterday Members of Parliament were free to bring Zimbabwe up for debate through the Backbench Business Committee.

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