Bernama
By Bernama Reporter
21 May 2013
The MDC, led by Industry Minister Professor Welshman Ncube, says Zimbabwe’s political parties should agree to hold the general election after the country hosts the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) general assembly in August.
In a statement issued here Monday, the MDC secretary for legal affairs, David Coltart, said national interest dictated that it would be better to have the election after the UNTWO assembly. Coltart, Who is also Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister, said there was a probability that the elections would not produce an outright winner in the presidential race.
“This is a very serious matter because our national pride is at stake and it is hardly in our national interest to gamble on there not being a presidential run-off election because if there is one it will seriously disrupt the UNWTO Assembly,” he said.
The UNWTO general assembly will take place from Aug 24 to 29 with up to 4,000 delegates from at least 176 countries are expected to attend the meeting, to be held in the twin border towns of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and Livingstone on the Zambia side of the falls.
The prestigious event is expected to become the biggest endorser of the country’s new tourism brand: “Zimbabwe – A World of Wonders”.
Coltart also argued that a minimum period of at least 42 days should be given between the end of the voter registration and inspection exercise and the polling date and holding the elections after August would also give Zimbabweans time to register to vote in the polls.
“If the new Constitution is gazetted today that means that the election cannot under any circumstance be held before July 31,” he said, adding that the Zimbabwe Election Commission would also need time to prepare for the polls.
The MDC-T faction led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai also wants the polls to be delayed until October but their partner in Zimbabwe’s national unity government, the ZANU-PF party of President Robert Mugabe wants elections to be held earlier.
The term of Zimbabwe’s current Parliament expires on June 29, paving way for fresh polls to be held.
President Mugabe is expected to sign the new Constitution this week, and announce dates for the general election soon after.
The general election is expected to end the coalition government which has been in place since 2009 after parties disputed the results of the 2008 elections.