The MDC announced its decision to participate in the March election in a statement today, saying that the party's National Council had met yesterday morning to discuss "the critical issue". The opposition party on 25 August had suspended its participation in the elections until such time as the government had complied with fair election standards as set out by the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

It is with a heavy heart, that the National Council has resolved the MDC will participate in the forthcoming elections, said MDC spokesman Paul Nyathi. The decision was in counter of the 25 August suspension because the SADC principles had far from been complied, Mr Nyathi explained.

The electoral playing field remained "uneven and unequal," the MDC said. Rule of law concerns had not been addressed. The media remained muzzled. Freedom of assembly was limited. The recently appointed Electoral Commission was yet to prove its independence. The voter's roll continued to be "the principal vehicle for electoral fraud," Mr Nyathi said.

Further failures would diminish the possibility of free and fair elections. "The constituency boundaries have been subjectively gerrymandered whilst militias and militia bases continue to multiply. International observers continue to be unwelcome," the MDC holds.

At the same time, the Southern African neighbours of Zimbabwe had grossly failed in pressuring the regime of President Robert Mugabe to comply with SADC standards. "Zimbabweans feel betrayed and let down by the region," Mr Nyathi said with a clear address to South African President Thabo Mbeki.

While, according to the MDC, "free and fair election is not possible in Zimbabwe under the present conditions," the party nevertheless have bowed to pressure from local party groups and activists. MDC followers had demanded to "exercise their hard fought and inalienable right of voting and still make a statement against the tyranny of this criminal state," Mr Nyathi said.

MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai today told foreign ambassadors in Harare about his party's decision to participate in the 31 March poll. "We realise that this dictator will never implement democratic reforms and neutralise his tyrannical rule," Mr Tsvangirai said, explaining the party's change of strategy.

Meanwhile, President Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF party is in unusually troubled waters due to an ongoing power struggle. Despite the many state structures making vote rigging in favour of ZANU-PF possible, the elections may be more open than generally assumed. Even a split in the ruling party may now seem possible.

ZANU-PF and the MDC have to present their candidates for the election within six days so that they can be confirmed by nomination courts around the country by 18 February. The ruling party however cannot agree on a final list of candidates for the Zimbabwean parliament.

As a result of the party's inability to agree on parliamentary candidates, President Mugabe's planned launch of ZANU-PF's election campaign tomorrow has been postponed one week. The delay, according to observers, indicated that President Mugabe was losing his grip on the party.

The current chaos in ZANU-PF started shortly before its annual congress in December, when more than half of its district chairmen had suddenly been suspended from the party. The local party leaders were suspected of supporting another candidate than President Mugabe for the office of Vice President. This office holder is believed to succeed the 80-year-old President.

The President launched an offensive to dramatically increase the percentage of female office holders in the party, thus squeezing out several powerful men. Joyce Mujuru was appointed Vice President, the first women ever in this position. Powerful ZANU-PF members such as ex-Information Minister Jonathan Moyo later were told to give up their parliamentary seat candidacy to give place for less known women.

The fight over ZANU-PF's candidates for parliament thus has developed into a major power struggle that is threatening to split the party. A split in the ruling party also will affect the loyalty of many of those expected to rig the election results in favour of ZANU-PF.

afrol News
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