Zimbabwe: Doubt over extent of electoral reform ahead of poll

Even before the ballots are cast in Zimbabwe's legislative elections next month, controversy has surfaced over the fairness of the poll. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has argued that recent reform of the country's electoral laws has been too little and too late. They contend that repressive legislation governing public assembly and free speech remain on the statute books, and together with growing political violence, will serve to undermine the poll's legitimacy.