Zimbabwe elections waiting for Mugabe

Zimbabwe's electoral commission says it is waiting for the nod from President Robert Mugabe to organize parliamentary and presidential elections, state media reported.

"Our mandate is to implement presidential proclamations as and when they are made. If a proclamation is made, we implement it," The Herald daily quoted acting Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson Joyce Kazembe as saying.

The announcement comes a week after Mugabe said he wanted elections on a government to replace the 20-month-old unity government he formed with former opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai to be held by mid-2011.

Before elections can be held, however, Zimbabweans have to vote on a new constitution, the drafting of which has been severely delayed by at-times violent disagreements between the coalition parties over the content.

Mugabe has ordered Finance Minister Tendai Biti to set aside 200 million dollars in next year's budget for the polls.

Tsvangirai, who is now prime minister, has also talked up the possibility of elections next year, even as analysts warn that hasty polls could see a repeat of the political violence that has characterized all elections since 2000.

The last elections in 2008 turned violent after Mugabe's party lost control of parliament to the MDC and Mugabe was outpolled by Tsvangirai in the first round of voting for president.

African leaders convinced the parties into forming a coalition government to end the violence and stabilize Zimbabwe's battered economy.

While the MDC has managed to halt the economic decline, the political situation remains tense.