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Zimbabwe: Run-Off Date in 48 Hours - ZEC
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 Published by the government of Zimbabwe |
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The Herald (Harare)
16 May 2008
Posted to the web 16 May 2008
Harare
THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission will, within 48 hours from yesterday, announce the date of the presidential election run-off, commission chairperson Justice George Chiweshe has said.
In an interview yesterday, Justice Chiweshe said the commission was fully aware that the nation was keenly awaiting the announcement of the date.
"The electorate is eagerly waiting to hear the date of the run-off. The commission will issue a (statutory) instrument in the next 48 hours indicating when the run-off will be held," he said.
ZEC has extended to 90 days from date of the first poll result the period within which the run-off must be held mainly due to the need to put the necessary logistics in place to ensure the smooth running of the election.
"The run-off is a full election and just as big as any general election, so the resources that we need are obviously substantial.
"Some of the resources were depleted during the first election, so we need more time to prepare for the run-off," he said.
Justice Chiweshe said it was not practicable to hold a run-off in the 21 days prescribed by the Electoral Act.
"When the legislature came up with the legislation (prescribing 21 days) we had not yet experienced this and now we are experiencing it for the first time," he said.
The other factor that had necessitated the extension of the election period was the need to hold the run-off together with House Assembly elections in Gwanda North, Pelandaba-Mpopoma and Redcliff.
This follows the death of three candidates who had been duly nominated to contest in those constituencies on March 29.
Justice Chiweshe said adequate time was needed to prepare for the House of Assembly polls in the three constituencies as there had to be a proclamation of the elections date followed by the sitting of the nomination courts.
He said this would take more than 21 days hence the decision to extend the period to 90 days.
"We want to synchronise the process by holding the elections at the same time."
The presidential run-off pits President Mugabe of Zanu-PF against MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
ZEC announced presidential poll results on May 2 in which Tsvangirai received 1 195 562 votes, representing 47,9 percent of the valid votes cast, while President Mugabe polled 1 079 730, which is 43,2 percent of the valid votes.
Since neither candidate achieved an absolute majority, a run-off is required under the Constitution.
The run-off will be held in terms of Section 110 (4) of the Electoral Act, which stipulates that the two candidates who receive the highest and next highest votes shall be eligible to contest in the second round.
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With only two candidates, the winner automatically obtains an absolute majority unless there is a tie, in which case the election goes to Parliament to decide.
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