News / National
Zim govt cancels UN poll funding request
17 Apr 2013 at 05:32hrs | Views
Zimbabwe has cancelled its request for election funding from the United Nations after the world body's election assessment team rejected terms of reference that were laid down by the government.
The team wanted to visit the country last Wednesday to discuss the election budget, but government blocked it while in South Africa after it overstepped its mandate, demanding to meet entities and civil society organisations with nothing to do with elections.
The NGOs the team sought to meet include the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, Nango, Women's Coalition, academia representatives and an umbrella association of journalists, some of whom have been hostile to the government.
Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa yesterday confirmed the development adding that Zimbabwe would mobilise funds locally for the elections that are expected to be held by June 29.
He said principals in the inclusive government had agreed to cancel the request.
The team wanted to visit the country last Wednesday to discuss the election budget, but government blocked it while in South Africa after it overstepped its mandate, demanding to meet entities and civil society organisations with nothing to do with elections.
The NGOs the team sought to meet include the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, Nango, Women's Coalition, academia representatives and an umbrella association of journalists, some of whom have been hostile to the government.
Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa yesterday confirmed the development adding that Zimbabwe would mobilise funds locally for the elections that are expected to be held by June 29.
He said principals in the inclusive government had agreed to cancel the request.
Source - TH
