Zimbabwe tells US to keep its cash

ZIMBABWE has told the United States it can keep its money after the Obama administration indicated it was prepared to fund elections expected this year and lift sanctions on condition a ban on Western observers is reversed.

The government has admitted struggling to raise about $132 million needed for the polls and has since appealed for international assistance.

But, despite willing to take their cash for the polls, Zanu-PF ministers have said countries that imposed sanctions would not be allowed to observe the elections.

Information secretary George Charamba - who also doubles as President Robert Mugabe's spokesperson - revealed Saturday that the US recently indicated it was prepared to help fund the polls provided the ban on Western observers is reversed.

Charamba said US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Johnnie Carson, dangled the carrot in a recent letter to Vice President Joice Mujuru and Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi.

Charamba however, said the conditions suggested by Carson were unacceptable.