News / National
'I hold keys to polls,' says Tsvangirai
13 Jun 2013 at 08:06hrs | Views
Movement for Democratic Change leader Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday said he held the key to legitimate elections, urging President Robert Mugabe to consult him on the dates the country can hold the forthcoming harmonised polls or risk "political suicide".
Tsvangirai spoke as Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs minister Eric Matinenga told Parliament that harmonised elections could only be held on August 25 at the earliest if Zimbabwe was to follow all legal processes as dictated by the new Constitution.
The Constitutional Court (Concourt) recently ordered Mugabe to ensure elections were held by July 31, to which the President pledged to abide by the court ruling.
The Premier, who was addressing civil society organisations in Harare, however, said Mugabe was obliged to consult him on key national decisions because he was compelled by the Global Political Agreement (GPA).
"We (MDC-T) hold the key to the legitimacy of any election. If Zanu-PF wants to unilaterally set a date, let them go ahead. If Zanu-PF is determined to commit suicide, let them. But I do not see Zanu-PF committing national suicide. I am sure that Zanu-PF will not commit national suicide," Tsvangirai said.
"The date must be in line with the legal benchmarks and timelines for the necessary election period. We will use our offices. As Prime Minister, I will use my position to convince the President that reforms should take place before we can have an election. If he unilaterally announces an election date, I cannot give legitimacy to that election date unless we agree."
Tsvangirai insisted that electoral, security and other reforms stated in the GPA should be implemented before free and fair elections could be held.
He added that the MDC-T had jointly sent a letter with other political parties to Sadc compelling the regional body to insist on a roadmap that includes electoral reforms.
"As leaders of the five political parties, we have already written to Sadc that the constitutional position must be upheld. We hope we can achieve reforms and that they can be implemented. All it takes is political will," Tsvangirai said.
In the House of Assembly, Matinenga, who was responding to a question by Makoni West MP Webber Chinyadza (MDC-T), said: "The judgment of the Supreme Court as our most superior court is final and this government or anyone associated with it is obliged to accept that ruling, but the law does not sanction the impossible.
"There are other recourses that can follow to enhance the judgment - and nobody is saying the President should be in contempt of the Constitutional Court, but he can approach the court and on proper convincing, the court cannot find it difficult to extend the period so that it gives possibility to the various processes to do with elections as set out in our Constitution."
Matinenga said approaching the Concourt for an extension was not something new as Mugabe did it in the case of the three House of Assembly by-elections in Matabeleland North.
He said the voter registration exercise, which kicked off on Monday, would end on July 9.
"In terms of the Constitution, a period of 14 days is mandatory from proclamation to the Nomination Court, and one cannot do that before the voters' roll is closed. We can only have proclamation when that roll is closed on July 9 and the constitutional provision is that the Nomination Court must be 14 days from the date of proclamation. You start counting from July 10 and it means nomination will be on July 24. It means polling day is 30 days thereafter - and that is on August 25," Matinenga said.
He said the Concourt had, however, ordered the impossible and other exigencies that had a bearing on election dates, including the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly to be co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Zambia between August 24-29 in Victoria Falls.
He said although Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa would bring amendments to electoral laws next week, it was difficult to tell whether other ministers would bring amendments to other laws with a bearing on elections.
"Each minister is mandated and has responsibility to administer various statutes and it is their responsibility to bring to Parliament amendments or repeals to laws that need to be aligned with the new Constitution. I will be looking at laws like the Rural District Councils Act, Urban Councils Act, Political Parties Finance Act and other Acts," he said.
Tsvangirai spoke as Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs minister Eric Matinenga told Parliament that harmonised elections could only be held on August 25 at the earliest if Zimbabwe was to follow all legal processes as dictated by the new Constitution.
The Constitutional Court (Concourt) recently ordered Mugabe to ensure elections were held by July 31, to which the President pledged to abide by the court ruling.
The Premier, who was addressing civil society organisations in Harare, however, said Mugabe was obliged to consult him on key national decisions because he was compelled by the Global Political Agreement (GPA).
"We (MDC-T) hold the key to the legitimacy of any election. If Zanu-PF wants to unilaterally set a date, let them go ahead. If Zanu-PF is determined to commit suicide, let them. But I do not see Zanu-PF committing national suicide. I am sure that Zanu-PF will not commit national suicide," Tsvangirai said.
"The date must be in line with the legal benchmarks and timelines for the necessary election period. We will use our offices. As Prime Minister, I will use my position to convince the President that reforms should take place before we can have an election. If he unilaterally announces an election date, I cannot give legitimacy to that election date unless we agree."
Tsvangirai insisted that electoral, security and other reforms stated in the GPA should be implemented before free and fair elections could be held.
He added that the MDC-T had jointly sent a letter with other political parties to Sadc compelling the regional body to insist on a roadmap that includes electoral reforms.
"As leaders of the five political parties, we have already written to Sadc that the constitutional position must be upheld. We hope we can achieve reforms and that they can be implemented. All it takes is political will," Tsvangirai said.
In the House of Assembly, Matinenga, who was responding to a question by Makoni West MP Webber Chinyadza (MDC-T), said: "The judgment of the Supreme Court as our most superior court is final and this government or anyone associated with it is obliged to accept that ruling, but the law does not sanction the impossible.
"There are other recourses that can follow to enhance the judgment - and nobody is saying the President should be in contempt of the Constitutional Court, but he can approach the court and on proper convincing, the court cannot find it difficult to extend the period so that it gives possibility to the various processes to do with elections as set out in our Constitution."
Matinenga said approaching the Concourt for an extension was not something new as Mugabe did it in the case of the three House of Assembly by-elections in Matabeleland North.
He said the voter registration exercise, which kicked off on Monday, would end on July 9.
"In terms of the Constitution, a period of 14 days is mandatory from proclamation to the Nomination Court, and one cannot do that before the voters' roll is closed. We can only have proclamation when that roll is closed on July 9 and the constitutional provision is that the Nomination Court must be 14 days from the date of proclamation. You start counting from July 10 and it means nomination will be on July 24. It means polling day is 30 days thereafter - and that is on August 25," Matinenga said.
He said the Concourt had, however, ordered the impossible and other exigencies that had a bearing on election dates, including the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly to be co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Zambia between August 24-29 in Victoria Falls.
He said although Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa would bring amendments to electoral laws next week, it was difficult to tell whether other ministers would bring amendments to other laws with a bearing on elections.
"Each minister is mandated and has responsibility to administer various statutes and it is their responsibility to bring to Parliament amendments or repeals to laws that need to be aligned with the new Constitution. I will be looking at laws like the Rural District Councils Act, Urban Councils Act, Political Parties Finance Act and other Acts," he said.
Source - newsday
