African politicians met at the 2008 World Economic Forum on Africa, where they discussed a variety of issues, including the current situation in Zimbabwe.

Simba Makoni, a former finance minister in Zimbabwe, said the chance of a free election in Zimbabwe was low: “Conditions have been created in the country as a whole, but particularly in the rural areas, where there is no prospect of any semblance of a free and fair election.”

The Secretary General of the main opposition party in Zimbabwe, the Movement for Democratic Change, also criticized the upcoming elections, saying that they were “merely legitimizing the kleptocracy.”

He continued his speech to the forum. "The regime is increasing the decibels of insanity. At every level it is telling the international community in a loud and clear voice that it is not prepared to play by the rules, it is not prepared to listen to logic, and most importantly it is not prepared to listen to democracy and the voice of its people.”