Mugabe misinformed and cornered into early election by Chinamasa and cronies says Biti

The Finance Minister Tendai Biti told the SW Radio Africa Friday that President Mugabe has been mendaciously cornered by Patrick Chinamasa in setting the election date.

"What is clear is that there is a chaos faction in ZANU PF centered around (Patrick) Chinamasa and others that have mendaciously and nicodemously manouvred President Mugabe into this corner when it is clear that President Mugabe is not ready," said Biti.

Biti told SW Radio Africa that Zimbabwe has no money to hold elections due on July 31st and this will be one of the issues that will  be on the agenda of the special SADC summit on Zimbabwe in Mozambique on Saturday.

"If you are going to have the nomination court in seven days time will SADC have put those funds together, if at all they are going to put money in the kit?" Biti asked.

Zimbabwe needs at least $120 million for the elections.

The MDC formations want SADC to put pressure on President Robert Mugabe to set up a clear election roadmap that will adhere to laid down electoral processes and not fast track the elections.

Mugabe used a presidential decree to bypass Parliament in order to rail-road through changes to electoral laws, which had been agreed on by the political parties in cabinet on Tuesday. The MDC formations said the president "deceived" them and on Thursday proceeded to "unilaterally" and "unconstitutionally" declare the poll date.

MDC-T President Morgan Tsvangirai immediately instructed his lawyers to file an urgent application in the Constitutional Court to "defend" the constitution, and will ask SADC to put pressure on ZANU PF to institute the necessary reforms before the elections.

The country's political leadership arrived in Maputo Friday, ahead of the extraordinary summit of Heads of State and government.

SADC, which has facilitated negotiations between the partners in the inclusive government who are locked in a bitter dispute over the election date, will discuss the preparations that have been made for the new elections.

ZANU PF insists there are no more reforms that are needed before the polls and argues SADC cannot override a decision that was made by the country's highest court, ordering the holding of elections by end of next month.

But Biti said: "No one can hide behind the doctrine of sovereignty because Zimbabwe lost its sovereignty the minute there was State failure and the last elections were stolen. Zimbabwe is a member of SADC and the African Union and is bound by those rules."

He added:"The Constitutional Court judgment is not immutable; after all it was President Mugabe himself who was going to the same court by another different name asking for postponement in the by-election matters involving Honorable Bhebhe and others. So it's not immutable. Let's do the right thing."

Biti, who was speaking from the Mozambican capital, said Zimbabwe wants an election that will ensure that the people's will was respected and an election that ensures that a new Zimbabwe can be ushered in and not the "shenanigans that are designed to promote the status for retention."

Analysts say it will not be strategic for the MDC parties to focus on putting pressure on SADC to ask the Constitutional Court to change its ruling.

Trevor Maisiri from the International Crisis Group said the impact of the SADC summit waits to be seen as the regional body has no mandate to change the ruling of the courts of member states because of the notion of non-interference.

"What the MDCs can do is to demand the prerequisite reforms that SADC has been calling for and have those on the ground before elections are held."Maisiri added: "That is a better strategy than focusing on a court ruling."