News / National
Govt considers declaring July 31 holiday
22 Jul 2013 at 04:12hrs | Views
THE Government is deliberating on the possibility of declaring 31 July, which is the day for harmonised elections, a public holiday.
Co-Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi yesterday said the Government was aware that the election day falls on a working day.
"We are very much aware that 31 July is a working day.
We are looking into that and we will attend to it and notify the public through the proper channels," he said.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is reported to have approached the Government over the issue.
Bulawayo-based political analyst Mr Effie Ncube said elections in the past have been held over the weekend and not during the week as is the case this year.
"President Mugabe is aware of this. He wants every Zimbabwean to participate in the voting exercise as provided for in the constitution and has been consistent in the last 33 years.
"It is a requirement that on that day everyone goes to vote. No one should be blocked to exercise his or her constitutional right," said Mr Ncube, who also chairs the National Association of Non Governmental Organisations (Nango).
Early this month the Registrar General's Office reported that more than 6 million Zimbabweans had registered to vote in the forthcoming poll.
In the event the day is not declared a public holiday,
Employers are supposed to allow workers time to go and cast their vote.
Co-Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi yesterday said the Government was aware that the election day falls on a working day.
"We are very much aware that 31 July is a working day.
We are looking into that and we will attend to it and notify the public through the proper channels," he said.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is reported to have approached the Government over the issue.
Bulawayo-based political analyst Mr Effie Ncube said elections in the past have been held over the weekend and not during the week as is the case this year.
"President Mugabe is aware of this. He wants every Zimbabwean to participate in the voting exercise as provided for in the constitution and has been consistent in the last 33 years.
"It is a requirement that on that day everyone goes to vote. No one should be blocked to exercise his or her constitutional right," said Mr Ncube, who also chairs the National Association of Non Governmental Organisations (Nango).
Early this month the Registrar General's Office reported that more than 6 million Zimbabweans had registered to vote in the forthcoming poll.
In the event the day is not declared a public holiday,
Employers are supposed to allow workers time to go and cast their vote.
Source - chronicle
