Zim Wants To “Bar Chancers”
Zimbabwean authorities are planning constitutional reforms to introduce stringent screening for presidential candidates in the coming elections, a state newspaper reported Sunday.
The Sunday Mail quoted an unnamed government source as saying the move was to bar some “presidential chancers” who were using legal loopholes to try their hand at taking over the reins of power from veteran President Robert Mugabe, in office since 1980.
“It seems anyone who wishes to participate in a presidential election can do so without the requisite structures as the law does not screen out such people,” the newspaper quoted the source as saying.
“The government is therefore seeking screens to net such chancers from bona fide candidates.”
The planned move came after the decision by Zimbabwe’s former finance minister Simba Makoni to challenge Mugabe as an independent candidate in presidential elections on March 29.
Makoni, a former member of the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU PF)’s elite politburo, said his decision to challenge Mugabe followed consultations with a cross-section of Zimbabweans.
His candidacy was confirmed by special nominations on Friday along with those of Mugabe, main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Tsvangirai Morgan, and an obscure independent candidate, Langton Towungana.
The Sunday Mail said under the proposed reforms presidential candidates should be backed by elected members and be able to form a government.
“Recent years have, however, seen the emergence of independent candidates who want to run for the presidency without the backing of elected members,” the newspaper added.
The newspaper quoted Mugabe’s spokesperson confirming Makoni met with Mugabe before announcing his decision to stand for presidency, but said at the meeting Makoni only said some people had invited him to stand in next month’s elections.
(Source)
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