No debate yet on amendments to electoral law

Debate on the amendments to the electoral law to make it compliant with the new constitution, ahead of the elections due in just over a month, did not come up again in Parliament yesterday.

The debate was supposed to have kicked off on Tuesday following a directive from the Southern African Development Community Special summit on Saturday which said the amendments should be passed by Parliament rather than by presidential decree as already done by President Robert Mugabe.

Constitutional Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga told Parliament on Tuesday that debate was being postponed because there were discussions going on behind the scenes but said the legislators should know the way forward by Tuesday morning before sitting resumed in the afternoon.

Yesterday’s sitting was however, dominated by a question and answer session with most of the questions directed at Energy Minister Elton Mangoma.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti also brought an urgent bill- the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Bill- which he said must be passed urgently otherwise Zimbabwe’s trading partners would instruct their financial institutions to restrict dealings with Zimbabwe.

There is currently confusion on the way forward as Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa is pressing to have the elections held by 14 August while his counterpart in the Movement for Democratic Change, Finance Minister Tendai says Chinamasa is jumping the gun.

Biti says Chinamasa should consult the other two parties so that he goes to court with an agreed position.

Chinamasa says he was specifically instructed by SADC to approach the court.

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