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Zim crisis to top SADC heads summit HUMPHREY NKONDE Correspondent The crisis in Zimbabwe is likely to be one of the top issues at the forthcoming Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) summit of heads of state and government leaders to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, on August 16. Advertisement Advertise Here Political, economic and social happenings in Zimbabwe can be expected to take centre stage because they have the potential to impact negatively on SADC's march to the envisaged regional integration and South Africa's hosting of the FIFA 2010 World Cup finals. At the SADC meeting of heads of state held in August last year, it was anticipated that the economy of Zimbabwe would improve and pave the way for a Customs Union and Free Trade Area. To the contrary, Zimbabwe's economy has nose-dived while unemployment has reached the 80 percent mark. Hyperinflation and unemployment has forced Zimbabweans to migrate to neighbouring countries such as Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique and Zambia.It is only when problems in Zimbabwe are solved that it will be easy for the regional bloc to form a viable Customs Union and Free Trade Area. It will be difficult to trade with Zimbabwe as a result of hyperinflation. The Zimbabwe dollar has lost value since the price of bread has reached around Z$100 billion and newspapers are selling at Z$ 3billion a copy. The vision by SADC countries to integrate their economies will be hampered by shortage of supply and expensive energy. Except for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), all the SADC countries are load shedding, hence the decision to hike electricity tariffs. Just 11 days before the SADC meeting, there were protests by COSATU in Johannesburg and other places over the proposed increment of electricity tariffs by 27.5 percent. The surest way of assuring the region of reliable and affordable electricity is by harmonising power generation projects. On the ot

In late 2006 a plan was proposed that would have delayed the election to 2010, at the same time as the next parliamentary election, which was said to be a cost-saving measure. This would have lengthened President Mugabe's term by two years.[22] However, there was reportedly dissent within the ruling ZANU-PF regarding the proposal, and it was never approved. In March 2007, Mugabe said that he thought the feeling in the party favored having the presidential election in 2008, and moving the parliamentary election up by two years instead. He also said that he would be willing to stand for another term if chosen by the party.[23] On March 30, 2007, it was announced that the ZANU-PF Central Committee had chosen Mugabe as the party's candidate for another term in 2008, that presidential terms would be reduced to five years instead of six, and that the parliamentary election would also be held in 2008.[24] Later, information was leaked from the same meeting that ZANU-PF had adopted the position of making Mugabe president-for-life.[25] In 2006, ZANU-PF National Chairman John Nkomo was one of the first to announce he would be ready to contest the election for ZANU-PF if Mugabe chose to retire.[26] Abel Muzorewa, the only prime minister of Zimbabwe Rhodesia, suggested on 21 June 2007 that he might run, claiming that people were urging him to do so.[27] Mugabe was chosen by acclamation as ZANU-PF's presidential candidate for the 2008 election by delegates at a December 2007 party congress. John Nkomo said that he "did not hear any dissenting voices" and that the congress had "fully and unreservedly" backed Mugabe.[28] On January 25, 2008, the date of the election was announced as March 29. A spokesperson for the faction of the MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai denounced this as "an act of madness and arrogance",[29][30] while the leader of the other MDC faction, Arthur Mutambara, said that a free and fair election could not be held under the existing conditions, calling for

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