News / National
Mugabe under pressure from Zanu-PF hawks
18 Dec 2011 at 06:32hrs | Views
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe is reported to be under pressure from Zanu-PF hawks to repudiate an earlier undertaking to allow locals domiciled within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to participate in the forthcoming polls through postal voting.
As reported by The Financial Gazette in July, the principals in the inclusive government agreed to work towards incorporating the Diaspora vote in the electoral process as part of far reaching reforms ahead of the upcoming polls.
President Mugabe had warmed up to the idea of allowing Zimbabweans living within the SADC region to vote since the respective countries in the bloc had not imposed targeted sanctions on Zanu-PF leaders, making it possible for the party to campaign there freely.
Cabinet had also agreed in principle to the Diaspora vote plan.
But the ZANU-PF negotiating team and other party hardliners are fiercely opposed to the idea, which they want shelved.
ZANU-PF generally regards locals living in foreign lands, who mostly left because of a hostile political and economic environment, as unsympathetic to it.
While confirming that an understanding on the matter had been reached in cabinet, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) chief negotiator, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, said the jury is not yet out on whether or not that would translate into concrete voting by those outside the country. She said there are a number of technical and legal issues that still need to be considered such as the issue of dual citizenship.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka, said the country's political leaders had indeed reached a deal on postal voting after the ZANU-PF leader had softened his stance.
"Yes I can confirm that the principals agreed on postal voting," Tamborinyoka said.
But Zanu-PF's chief negotiator, Patrick Chinamasa, said the principals had only directed him to look into the matter and report back to them but is yet to give them feedback.
"The principals took a decision, it was not an agreement, that we look into the matter. We will look into the matter and report back to them.
"But remember, this was an issue that was tackled by the negotiators and rejected," he said.
Presidential spokesperson, George Charamba, said the only agreement between the principals that exists was that Zimbabweans living outside the country should come back home and register within their constituencies to enable them to vote.
In 2005, the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe dismissed a constitutional application by a group of Zimbabweans based in the United Kingdom, who had sought an order granting them the right to vote.
The test case, which was led by banker and chief executive of online news publication, Newzimbabwe.com, Jeff Madzingo, had challenged the constitutionality of the current system that allows only those on national duty outside the country to vote.
MDC-T chief negotiator, Elton Mangoma, said although the current electoral system does not provide for postal voting, it equally does not outlaw it.
As reported by The Financial Gazette in July, the principals in the inclusive government agreed to work towards incorporating the Diaspora vote in the electoral process as part of far reaching reforms ahead of the upcoming polls.
President Mugabe had warmed up to the idea of allowing Zimbabweans living within the SADC region to vote since the respective countries in the bloc had not imposed targeted sanctions on Zanu-PF leaders, making it possible for the party to campaign there freely.
Cabinet had also agreed in principle to the Diaspora vote plan.
But the ZANU-PF negotiating team and other party hardliners are fiercely opposed to the idea, which they want shelved.
ZANU-PF generally regards locals living in foreign lands, who mostly left because of a hostile political and economic environment, as unsympathetic to it.
While confirming that an understanding on the matter had been reached in cabinet, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) chief negotiator, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, said the jury is not yet out on whether or not that would translate into concrete voting by those outside the country. She said there are a number of technical and legal issues that still need to be considered such as the issue of dual citizenship.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka, said the country's political leaders had indeed reached a deal on postal voting after the ZANU-PF leader had softened his stance.
"Yes I can confirm that the principals agreed on postal voting," Tamborinyoka said.
But Zanu-PF's chief negotiator, Patrick Chinamasa, said the principals had only directed him to look into the matter and report back to them but is yet to give them feedback.
"The principals took a decision, it was not an agreement, that we look into the matter. We will look into the matter and report back to them.
"But remember, this was an issue that was tackled by the negotiators and rejected," he said.
Presidential spokesperson, George Charamba, said the only agreement between the principals that exists was that Zimbabweans living outside the country should come back home and register within their constituencies to enable them to vote.
In 2005, the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe dismissed a constitutional application by a group of Zimbabweans based in the United Kingdom, who had sought an order granting them the right to vote.
The test case, which was led by banker and chief executive of online news publication, Newzimbabwe.com, Jeff Madzingo, had challenged the constitutionality of the current system that allows only those on national duty outside the country to vote.
MDC-T chief negotiator, Elton Mangoma, said although the current electoral system does not provide for postal voting, it equally does not outlaw it.
Source - FinGaz
