Mugabe promotes notorious general ahead of election

Three Infantry Brigade Commander, Brigadier-General Douglas Nyikayaramba, was last week unilaterally promoted by President Robert Mugabe. The controversial army general implicated in election rigging, rhino poaching and partisan food distribution, stunned the country last year when he called for Mugabe to be declared life president. He also described Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai as a “major national security threat rather than a political one”.

Another notorious figure, war veteran’s national chairman, Jabulani Sibanda, has called on President Mugabe to dissolve parliament and announce a date for fresh elections. Sibanda claimed that COPAC has failed to deliver a draft constitution which is acceptable to them.

Meanwhile, COPAC co-chairpersons Douglas Mwonzora and Edward Mkhosi stated the confusion in COPAC could be a well-calculated ploy to prolong the constitution-making process in order to delay elections until at least 2013.