DATES for the referendum on the proposed new constitution will be “fixed” this week, paving the way for the stepping up of preparations for this year’s elections, Justice and Legal Affairs minister Patrick Chinamasa has said.
BY PATRICE MAKOVA
Chinamasa told The Standard yesterday that following the tabling and adoption of the Copac draft charter in the two houses of Parliament last week, the Global Political Agreement principals would now go ahead and fix the exact dates for the referendum.
He said fixing of the dates would be done despite the fact that the government had not yet secured the estimated US$250 million required to hold both the referendum and elections.
“That’s not our headache,” Chinamasa said. “What we know is that a referendum and elections are going to take place soon.”
President Robert Mugabe has reportedly set June 29 as the date for the elections, but a faction within his party loyal to vice- President Joice Mujuru is said to be lobbying for the postponement of polls fearing Zanu PF was not yet ready.
The MDC led by Industry and Commerce minister, Welshman Ncube has also prefers elections at the end of September when all the electoral and other reforms have been implemented.
