ZEC Chairperson, Justice Rita Makarau, revealed that her organisation was happy with how treasury was availing funding for the impending plebiscite.
“We are happy with the money that we have received. We got $25 million for the voter registration exercise, $2,5 million for the nomination court and $11 million for special voting to take place on July 14-15,” she said. The ZEC last week revealed that the organisation needed $130 million to finance the electoral process. Former finance minister Tendai Biti last week revealed that treasury coffers were dry and the finance ministry was engaging the international community for assistance.
This is despite the fact that Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa, backed by Zanu (PF) stalwarts, in April blocked a United Nations Development Programme electoral assessment team from coming to Zimbabwe. The team wanted to assess the political environment ahead of the polls, before releasing the $225 million election assistance required. “Do not worry about money for elections. We are going ahead with them,” said Gumbo.
Gumbo did not clarify where funding for elections would come from but maintained that everything was in order.
Efforts to get a comment from the finance ministry were futile.
Post published in: News