Maravi

ZEC may extend period required to hold runoff

ZEC may extend period required to hold runoff
By Kingsley Kaswende and George Chellah in Harare
Monday May 12, 2008 [04:00]

THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has said it may extend the statutory 21-day period required for the holding of the runoff election between President Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai. ZEC chairperson justice George Chiweshe said on Saturday that the three-week period was too short to allow them to put all the necessary logistics in place.

“It is very likely that we will extend the period. It was very ambitious for the legislature to think 21 days would be enough. However, they were also wise in that they made a provision for the extension of this period,” justice Chiweshe said.

Section 192 of the electoral Act allows ZEC to extend the 21 days period by way of a statutory instrument and further give leeway for ZEC to extend in a manner it considers “necessary or desirable to ensure that the election is properly and efficiently conducted.”
Justice Chiweshe said after a meeting last Tuesday, it emerged that ZEC did not have sufficient funds to hold elections and was therefore waiting for more funds from the government treasury. He did not disclose how much was needed.

“We want to make it clear that we intend to hold the run off at the earliest date because the period set by the legislature shows that it should be as soon as possible,” justice Chiweshe said.

Zimbabwean civil society last Friday urged ZEC to ensure that it held the runoff within the stipulated 21 days for the elections to be credible.

Labels: ELECTIONS, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, MUGABE, ZEC

posted by MrK @ 3:43 AM