(HERALD) Zanu-PF ‘divided’ over election timeline

Zanu-PF ‘divided’ over election timeline
Posted by By Our reporter at 10 May, at 13 : 28 PM

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party has dismissed statements by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, Patrick Chinamasa (pictured right above), that elections have been postponed to next year as personal opinions, saying the ‘revolutionary part’y still stands by the Mutare People’s Conference resolution that elections will be held this year.

This is the first time that Chinamasa has stood on one side with the prime minister, who is from the fromer opposition MDC-T, while the rest of Zanu-PF is on the other.

Zanu PF Secretary for Information and Publicity, Rugare Gumbo (pictured left above), said the two have no right to express their ‘personal opinions’ as fact or make decisions on such issues as the powers to do so are only vested in President Mugabe.

“The party’s conference made a clear resolution, endorsed by the Politburo and the Central Committee, even Copac has informed us that they are likely to finish the constitutional process this year.

Copac is the parliamentary select committee tasked with devising an election timeline and the convening of a referendum over a new Zimbabwe constitution.


Gumbo added: “So I don’t understand why our negotiator Chinamasa failed to consult the party which has given him the trust to represent it.”

He said that there is no room for personal opinions when it comes to the proclamation of the election dates.

The Zanu-PF spokesperson said even the regional Southern African Development Community (Sadc), the guarantors of the Global Political Agreement (the legal framework of the inclusive Government) is advocating a speedy implementation of outstanding GPA issues.

He said Chinamasa should have been better informed that as a negotiator he represents Zanu-PF, and should go with the resolutions made in Mutare.

Gumbo said President Mugabe has already indicated that elections will be held this year as soon as the constitutional process is complete, but instead MDC-T leader Tsvangirai and his party want to delay the polls, as his party is broke and not ready to mount a nationwide campaign.

MDC-T is awaiting an opportune moment to carry out elections as donor fatigue has set in and the party is broke.

“Tsvangirai cannot make a declaration on election. Only the President can change that,” said Gumbo.

Gumbo, however, noted that Zanu-PF’s highest decision making body, the Politburo, will look into the issue of elections this Wednesday and come up with a final position ahead of the Sadc Summit set for Namibia later this month.