Mutambara assures nation of voter registration

round of the process are available, Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara has said. He said the inclusive government, headed by President Mugabe was now focusing on determining when the country would hold the election following the signing of the Constitutional Amendment Bill into law by the President yesterday.

The DPM said this in the House of Assembly while responding to questions from several legislators who wanted to know more information about voter registration and election dates during a question and answer session.

He said the voters roll had to be inspected following reports that a Cabinet Minister could not find her name while the Vice President discovered that only nine people in a village in her constituency appeared in the voters roll.

“Government has to find that money. Every Tuesday Cabinet is seized with the item on voter registration, it shows our commitment.
“We do not want to disenfranchise people so we have to find the money,” said DPM while responding to a question from Mutare South MP, Cde Fred Kanzama (Zanu-PF).

Cde Kanzama had asked if money would be available for another round of voter registration provided for by the Constitutional Bill.
He said all the people who were erroneously removed from the voters roll should be allowed to exercise their right to vote.

Mutare West MP Mr Shuah Mudiwa (MDC-T) asked the DPM what the Government position was on election dates.
“The determination of election dates is work in progress. Things are going to be much clearer now after we signed the Constitutional Amendment Bill,” said the DPM.

In determining the Bill, said DPM Mutambara, there were legal and political issues to be considered.
“We are in an inclusive government.

“We will look at what is politically meaningful, we do not want an election that will be challenged,” DPM Mutambara said.
The election dates, said DPM Mutambara, should be mutually agreed not only by political parties in the Global Political Agreement but Sadc who are the guarantors.

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He said the inclusive government came into being owing to disputed and inclusive elections, hence the need to avoid that.
Responding to another question, Science and Technology Minister Heneri Dzinotyiwei said government was still to take a position on whether to adopt genetically modified foods.

He said there had to be an agreement between his Ministry and the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Rural Development as the latter had some reservations on their adoption.

“It is important that there is a need to grow GMOs particularly when there is food shortage.
“There is a need for consensus between my Ministry and that of Minister (Joseph) Made,” DPM Mutambara said.