G'day everyone.

What's the thoughts of people in regards to hunting 2011 in Zimbabwe when another election looms and Mugabe is stating that the alliance with the Prime Minister has run its race??

Who hunted there the last election year and did you have any issues?

Cheers,
Mark.

Mark,

We hunted in Zim two weeks before the last election. We experienced absolutely no issues. We would see lots of election-related T-shirts and small gatherings of folks but everyone was very civil. I should add that on this trip while we chartered into camp, we drove out. The drive from camp to Harare was about seven hours some on hard top roads but much on dirt roads through small communities. Again, no issues. Spent some time driving around and shopping in Harare, no problems. Hope that helps.

Here is a link to the hunt report:

http://forums.accuratereloadin...=782106388#782106388

I was there with my wife just after the last election when the result was being challenged and we didnt have any problems at all. We are going back this May. The general population of Zim are great people who are naturally friendly and peaceful. Just do as you would at home, stay out of the rough urban areas and dont talk politics or demonstrate any political affiliation.

Mark,

I have no more hesitation sending clients to Zimbabwe in 2011 than I have in any other year. If you are booked with a well established Zim based safari operator with a long track record you'll have no problems. For myself and good safari companies in Zim we are in it for the long run. We do not want any client to have even the slightest hint of danger on their safari.

Mark

We were there through the last election and had no trouble. Once, a truck full of thugs drove around but did not bother us. had no trouble on the road, or, in Harare: just business as usual.

Zimbabwe 2011 election may be postponed - state media
http://in.reuters.com

HARARE | Sun Jan 2, 2011 5:05pm IST

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe is likely to postpone a parliamentary election
that President Robert Mugabe's party wanted by mid-year in order to allow
completion of constitutional reforms, a state-owned newspaper reported on
Sunday.

Mugabe's ZANU-PF party endorsed plans to call early polls two weeks ago,
despite strong opposition from rivals that the political climate was not
right for a free and fair vote.

The Sunday Mail newspaper, which is tightly controlled by ZANU-PF officials,
quoted unidentified sources saying it was not feasible to hold elections in
the first half of 2011 and that Zimbabwe had said so to fellow members of
the Southern African Development Community (SADC) weeks ago.

"Sources yesterday said it was highly unlikely that the polls will be held
before June as the crafting of the new supreme law looks certain to spill
into the second half of the year," the weekly said, citing also what it
called "intervening complications" in the implementation of Zimbabwe's
power-sharing agreement.

ZANU-PF officials were unavailable on Sunday to comment.

Mugabe, 86, and arch rival Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement
for Democratic Change (MDC) were forced into a coalition government two
years ago after a disputed 2008 election which had exacerbated a severe
economic crisis.

The unity government, which also includes a small MDC faction led by Deputy
Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, is credited with stabilising an economy
crushed by hyperinflation and reducing political tension.

But the coalition has been hobbled by quarrels over the pace of political
reforms, policies and state positions, and Mugabe has said he sees no need
to extend the coalition beyond the middle of this year.

In private, both ZANU-PF and MDC legislators have been lobbying against a
2011 election that will cut short their five-year term for the second time
after the previous tenure ended prematurely in 2008 following a 2005 vote.

Critics say rushed polls without political reforms, including a new
constitution guaranteeing basic rights, would only favour Mugabe and
ZANU-PF, who have held power since independence from Britain in 1980.