Mugabe moves for 2008 elections

The government of Zimbabwe has proposed constitutional changes to enable it to hold national elections early next year, increase the size of the legislature and set up a human rights commission.

The proposed constitutional amendment bill makes provisions for holding parliamentary and presidential polls at the same time in March, and for increasing the number of seats in the House of Assembly from 150 to 210 and in the Senate from 66 to 84.

In order to hold elections together, the bill proposes shortening the presidential term from six years to five years – the same as for parliament.

The proposed rights commission – seen by independent human rights groups and critics of President Robert Mugabe as a likely smoke screen for his record on human and democratic rights abuses – would have 16 members drawn from names compiled by Mugabe and the ruling party-dominated parliament.