There might be enough time to hold elections this year says Mutambara

Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara yesterday told the House of Assembly that it was possible for Zimbabwe to hold elections this year. He said if parties in the inclusive Government urgently implement the Global Political Agreement, there will be enough time to hold elections before the year ends.
The elections, DPM Mutambara said, could be held using the new Constitution or the current Constitution.
DPM Mutambara said this during the question and answer session.
He was responding to Mhondoro-Ngezi legislator Bright Matonga (Zanu-PF) on the outcome of the recently held Sadc extraordinary summit in Angola.
DPM Mutambara said the summit urged the three parties in the coalition Government to draw timeframes that will lead to the elections. He said there were several scenarios that could lead to the next elections. 
"It is possible to come up with the activities that need to be done, let's say maybe in the next five months and that will take us to November, so it is possible to have elections this year," DPM Mutambara said.
"The other scenario is that we can actually do an analysis of what needs to be done and maybe agree that it will take us 13 months, which will take us to June 2013, which is when this Parliament expires because that is when the President was sworn in, the ultimate deadline is June 30, 2013."
DPM Mutambara said reforms that needed to be done before the next elections could be done until next year unless they were expedited. 
"Our GPA allows us that if we reach a deadlock and it's no longer workable then we have no choice we can have elections without a new Constitution and the reforms. It is very likely.
"Another bad scenario is that we struggle together until June 2013 without a new Constitution and reforms. That is a bad scenario if we don't get our act together, Copac Select Committee must get its act together, the Management Committee must get their act together.

"If we want reforms before the elections, we have to stop this dilly dallying. This House should also pass Bills, the Human Rights and the Electoral Amendment Bills, so we should get those done if we want reforms," DPM Mutambara said.
He urged the three parties to work together so that they can fulfill all the reforms that are required before the next elections. 
DPM Mutambara said a coalition Government was not a good arrangement thereby justifying the need for the country to hold elections. 
He said the President could invoke his powers through a proclamation and extend the life of Parliament, should it expire before necessary reforms were completed.
Responding to another question on the Luanda outcome, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, said it was critical that parties to the GPA follow the election roadmap enunciated by Sadc.  Mbizo MP, Mr Settlement Chikwinya (MDC-T), asked the PM the implication of one party pulling out of the GPA and its consequences. PM Tsvangirai said holding polls without necessary reforms cast questions of credibility and legitimacy to the elections.
"If any party wishes to break away, it causes a constitutional crisis because it means that the Government is no longer consummated," he said.

Mr Tsvangirai said President Mugabe had told Sadc leaders in Luanda that he had no intention of unilaterally calling for elections. 
"There is no need for unilateralism . . . I am guided by Sadc, the facilitators must agree, we must agree, then we can go and fight it out," he said.