Planned polls endangered

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe -- A leading South African bishop has added his voice to growing concerns that Zimbabwe elections due in a few weeks time will not be free and fair.

Bishop Kevin Dowling, a staunch Mugabe critic--who last year was barred by immigration officials from entering Zimbabwe--raised the same concerns that have emerged from the country's main political opposition, the Movement for Democratic Change, that President Robert Mugabe has state resources at his disposal, giving him unfair electoral advantage.

Mediation by South African President Thabo Mbeki has failed to break the impasse between Zimbabwe's two main political parties, and the opposition is threatening to boycott the polls.

Mugabe "has the security forces on his side, and his opposition has no protection under the law, so he doesn't need to make any concessions," Dowling said.

COPYRIGHT 2008 National Catholic Reporter
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning