Zimbabwe: PM regrets lack of electoral reforms

[Punch]

Reforms needed to ensure free and fair presidential and parliamentary polls in Zimbabwe later this month have not been introduced, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has said.

He also pledged to create more jobs as he kicked off his campaign at a rally in Marondera, ahead of the July 31 election.

He is standing for president against his main rival and coalition candidate, President Robert Mugabe.

On Friday Mugabe said it was a "do-or-die struggle", but urged supporters to refrain from violence.

The 89-year-old leader predicted a 90 per cent victory for his Zanu-PF party.

There have been concerns about violence and intimidation ahead of the election.

Tsvangirai was approaching these elections "with a heavy heart", since the necessary reforms had not been introduced, he told the crowd.

"There are no reforms in the media, and other reforms to ensure free and fair elections have not been achieved," he told supporters at the rally east of Harare.

The leader of the Movement for Democratic Change pledged to create jobs and boost industries such as manufacturing and mining that have seen businesses closed in recent times.

He also promised to introduce free health care within the first 100 days of his presidency and to scrap maternity health care fees for women.

The 61-year-old said he would only bring back the Zimbabwean dollar if there was economic stability.

He pulled out of the second round of the 2008 presidential election, accusing the security forces and pro-Mugabe militias of attacking his supporters around the country.

He had won the most votes in the first round but, according to official results, not enough to win outright.

The Punch