The three parties in Zimbabwe's national unity government have presented draft elections road maps to envoys of South African President Jacob Zuma, since 2009 mediator in Harare on behalf of the Southern African Development Community.
Sources in Pretoria and Harare said Mr. Zuma is calling for broad reforms to be instituted in advance of elections expected this year, including the adoption of a new constitution, electoral, media and security law reforms and a clear road map to the ballot.
Mr. Zuma has also urged the fractious governing partners that issues related to the 2008 Global Political Agreement for power sharing be resolved. ZANU-PF hardliners want an early election, potentially putting them on a collision path with SADC and Pretoria.
Mr. Zuma’s team is expected to come up with its own elections road map, which is likely to be presented to the SADC troika or committee on defense, politics and security following an African Union summit coming up in Addis Ababa at the end of this month.
Political analyst Trevor Maisiri said the establishment of a collectively agreed elections road map would be a step in the right direction for Zimbabwe.
