No Election Money From Biti's Budget

Biti did not give in to political pressure from principals in the coalition Government for elections next year when he only allocated US$30 million for a referendum.

“The issue of elections is not about resources or whether we have a budget for that or not. The issue is about commitment that the principals themselves have agreed on. They have to agree on a roadmap first to those elections,” said Biti.

For Zimbabwe to hold a round of harmonized elections the country needs nearly US$200million.

“The roadmap has signposts and such sign posts include the constitution making process with signatures of people, a new voter’s roll with signatures of the people. Those things are there in black and white in the Global Political Agreement”, said Biti addressing business community on Friday.

Biti said once the political party principals have agreed to an election, he can organise the resources even if it means doing so in just a day.

The Movement for Democratic Change’s secretary general and finance minister’s move  will see elections being held earliest in 2013 after the expiry of current term.

Biti was largely expected to make a budgetary provision for elections scheduled for next year but his budget remained silent on the matter.