Zimbabwe's elections chief says, without funds, next year's elections will not be credible

Zimbabwe's elections chief says, without funds, next year's elections will not be credible

2010-11-05 07:25:05 GMT+7 (ICT)

HARARE, ZIMBABWE (BNO NEWS) -- Zimbabwe's elections chief Simpson Mutambanengwe on Thursday said that without further funds for his commission, the elections that will take place next year will not be credible, ZimOnline news agency reported.

Mutambanengwe said that the injection of funds is necessary so the commission would be able to carry out key reforms ahead of the polls. Next year, Zimbabwe will hold elections to choose a new government to replace the ruling coalition as expressed by President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

However, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is in urgent need of funds to carry out elections so it would be able to fix the voters' roll and other preliminary work that must be done to ensure the conduct and that the outcome of the vote is acceptable to all parties.

"If the funds are made immediately available for us to carry out preliminary operations then we will be ready to carry on elections," said Mutambanengwe. "We need a voters' roll that is acceptable and that satisfies all stakeholders."

The current voters' registry has been criticized as it is outdated with thousands of dead people that still appears in the voting lists. Critics have accused President Mugabe of taking advantage and benefits from the incomplete register.

In the past, Zimbabwe's elections have been marred by violence and claims of vote manipulation, which caused that the European Union and the United States enacted sanctions on President Mugabe and senior members of the ZANU-PF ruling party.

Mutambanengwe also warned that if the conditions are not proper, the ZEC will not allow next year's elections. The last polls in 2008 ended in conflict as the results were held for five weeks before calling for a second round, which was marred with violence and boycotts.

"I know politicians have been talking about it, saying there is going to be elections next year. But the point is whether (conditions are conducive) to enable us to carry out are our mandate according to the precepts can only be determined by ZEC," Mutambanengwe concluded.

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