Postponing elections urged

HARARE, Zimbabwe -- Zimbabwe's Catholic justice and peace commission has called for the postponement of March 29 presidential and parliamentary elections. The commission said it noted impediments to free and fair elections "with grave concern."

"The voter registration process and requirements are cumbersome, thereby limiting full participation of all citizens" and "in some areas voter registration was not adequately done," the commission said in a Feb. 9 statement.

"There has been inadequate preparation and voter education on the electoral process," it said.

Millions of Zimbabweans who have fled to neighboring countries and overseas to escape their country's economic meltdown should be allowed to vote because they still contribute significantly to Zimbabwe, the commission said. Also, laws that prohibit opposition campaigning and access to information "continue to be an obstacle to the freedoms required for the preparation and conduct of a free and fair election," it said.

Seven weeks before the elections, citizens still did not know which candidates would be running and which parties would field candidates, the commission said.

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