Zimbabwe’s 2018 elections the most important ‘in our lifetime’, says Biti
Former finance minister Tendai Biti says Nelson Chamisa, a 39-year-old lawyer, will run as the coalition candidate — and his youth will play out well among voters
Zimbabwe’s elections scheduled to take place in 2018 will be the most important in a generation and critical to restoring democracy and economic growth in a country that has been dominated by one party since independence in 1980, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) politician Tendai Biti said on Wednesday. A violent election and land reform programme in 2000 caused an economic collapse. "It is the most important election of our lifetime because it has to answer the question of legitimacy," Biti said in Johannesburg as Zimbabwe celebrated its national independence day. "The quality of this election, the substantive content and outcome of the election are going to be key." Zimbabwe is required by its constitution to hold general and presidential elections by August 22. The vote will be the first without Robert Mugabe since 1980. Mugabe, 94, stepped down as president in November 2017 after the military temporarily took control. President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who replaced Mugabe, has be...
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