But political analysts said this development was a blow to Zanu PF hardliners and some senior security officials who were calling for early elections under the current conditions that favours the former ruling party.
It was almost certain that elections would be held this year after President Robert Mugabe declared that polls would be held with or without the new constitution.
But Zanu PF negotiator Patrick Chinamasa last week made a U-turn indicating the unlikely probability of the polls being held this year as the crafting of a new constitution was still in process.
“It is my own opinion that it is not possible to hold elections this year,” said Chinamasa who is the Justice minister. “We need to start talking about elections next year or 2013 assuming that the referendum is completed in September as we have been advised by Copac.”
Constitutional Parliamentary Select Committee (Copac) is mandated with spearheading the constitution-making process in the country.
The business community, political parties, churches and individuals had expressed grave concern over an early poll saying it would dampen prospects of economic recovery.
The polls would also open wounds of the violent 2008 elections, in which the MDC-T claims that at least 200 of its party activists were murdered by Zanu PF militia and state security agents.
Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) president Joseph Kanyekanye applauded the decision to delay election saying this would give the economy time to recover and stabilise.
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He said during election time politicians tend to utter populist statements that would have a direct bearing on the performance of the economy.
“The uncertainty that comes with elections is usually not good for the economy,” said Kanyekanye. “The economic progress that we have made since February 2009 is a testimony to what we can achieve as a country if elections are delayed until an appropriate time.”
The business community has been on record as saying that they see no reason for elections at this critical stage in Zimbabwe’s economic recovery. They even met Vice President Joice Mujuru to lobby her to influence the postponement of elections.
The National Constitution Assembly (NCA) has also applauded the postponement of polls but added that the Copac-driven constitution-making process must be abandoned for a people-driven one.
NCA national spokesperson Madock Chivasa said, “I think this is good, but the next thing is to engage all the people so that we come up with a people-driven constitution.”
He said Zimbabwe must only hold elections when a people-driven constitution is in place, violence halted; and electoral reforms instituted to enable a level playing field, among other issues.
Harare transporter Johnson Dube said elections must be held in 2013 when the economy has stabilized. He said the country must concentrate on reviving its economy than squandering scarce funds on elections because they will not only be a sham but will halt the economic recovery that is beginning to bear fruit.
“We cannot be a perpetual electioneering country, we must be a productive country,” said Dube. “Mugabe and Tsvangirai must work together until 2013 so they experience first had how hard it is live or work with your adversary as people in rural areas are doing.”
Moses Mazhande of Chitungwiza also lauded the postponement of elections saying polls must be held when all outstanding issues of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) are addressed to make sure no party will dispute the results.
“I feel elections must be held in 2015 on condition that issues such as sanctions, political violence, electoral and security sector reforms are addressed so that no one will dispute the results claiming the playing field was not level,” said Mazhande.
Efforts to get a comment from Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo were fruitless last week.
The two MDC formations are on record saying they will only participate in elections when they playing field is level.
But sources in Zanu PF said several hardliners in the former ruling party are infuriated with the prospect of the postponement of elections.
But others said the postponement of elections is a change of strategy by Zanu PF as it is buying time trying to sort out the succession issue in the heavily divided party.
