Zimbabwe secures $85 million for elections

Tendai Biti, Finance Minister

GOVERNMENT has secured US$85 million required to cover logistical arrangements and processes for the July 31 harmonised elections.

Addressing a Press conference later in the day, Minister Tendai Biti confirmed that the money had been secured and the balance of US$36 million was largely for allowances of officers who would conduct the voting process.

He said the allowances could be paid after the elections like what happened with the national census and the constitutional referendum.

“I am pleased to say that as of the 25th of July 2013, we have disbursed US$96 million, US$40 million which has been disbursed this week,” he said.

“This is in support of voter education, voter registration and Nomination Court expenses as well as some requirements of the actual conducting of the elections.

“This leaves the balance of US$36 million. This US$36 million is largely for the allowances of the officers who are going to conduct the election.

“That means that the money to hold the elections is now there. With regards to allowances, if worse comes to the worst, arrangements can always be made to pay the allowances afterwards. We did that with the referendum and the census but that is not our intention.”

Minister Biti said he was hopeful that before the end of this week Government could liquidate the outstanding balance.

He said his efforts to raise money from the United Nations Development Programme and the donor community were frustrated by his counterpart Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa.
“I want to say to Zimbabweans that we are ready for the elections. We have done our constitutional obligation to raise money for the elections without basically no help from anyone, no cent from Sadc and no cent from anyone.

“I am also happy to say that we have done this without raping the economy,” he said.

Source:- zimbabweelection