Unconfirmed reports say up to 70 people most of them supporters of the opposition Movement For Democratic Change (MDC) have been killed ever since the political violence in Zimbabwe started.

Everyday it is increasingly becoming difficult for the opposition in Zimbabwe to openly campaign because the ruling party and security forces have unleashed their thugs on defenceless people. More and more Zimbabweans are languishing in jails and hospitals, and the rest are stuck in their own houses afraid of the terror that awaits them out in the streets. Thousands more are now overflowing into refugee camps in neighbouring countries. While Mugabe's terror machine freely campaigns, the opposition is violently prevented from carrying out any campaigns. No elections could be allowed to take place under such conditions.

The international community should not let Mugabe and his henchmen engage in this flagrant disregard for human rights and human decency. The burden is on the international community to ensure that Mugabe plays by the book, that the campaign and elections are free and fair and that the MDC is brought back to a credible election.

However, we must also hasten to point out that whilst we understand that the MDC has been forced to quit from the race, we believe the stakes are too high for the MDC to quit. The Zimbabwean people have suffered long enough; any quitting will legitimise Mugabe's obviously illegitimate continued stay in power. We would therefore have liked Tsvangirai to continue with this road, challenging as it all sounds, to its logical conclusion.

Fare thee well Kavindama
Yet another champion of this country's political development has left us. Joseph Kanvindama, veteran opposition politician and BCP Parliamentary for Okavango passed away this past week. Very few people can claim to have enriched our democracy than Kavindama. He won a parliamentary seat for the opposition in what was believed to be a ruling party den. Kavindama was a champion of the minority and the marginalised. We will all remember him as a great orator who did not flinch to put his single voice against the many when he believed in what he said. Today this giant is no more.

Kavindama might have departed but his sterling contribution to Botswana politics and desire to improve the quality of life of Batswana would serve as an inspiration to many generations to come. Go well JK! You ran your race very well.  

                                            Today's Thought

From this vision of the role of the United Nations in the next century flow three key priorities for the future: eradicating poverty, preventing conflict and promoting democracy. 

                                             -Kofi Annan