CIVIL servants are demanding binding contracts to participate in the Constitutional referendum and general elections to avoid getting payment for services rendered late.

They said the events were a separate arrangement outside their working conditions and the contracts should clearly spell out how much and when they will be paid.

Government workers said the employer had been insincere in the past .

Most of the civil servants who took part in the 2012 national census have not been paid.

They also do not know how much they should get as they were not promised fixed amounts.

Zimbabwe will hold a referendum on March 16 while elections are expected later this year.

Civil servants constitute the bulk of polling officers.

Zimbabwe Teachers Association chief executive Mr Sifiso Ndlovu said a valid contract would legally enable them to force Government to pay.

"The contract should clearly spell out duties and responsibilities of every party involved," he said.

"Gone are the days when payment would be shrouded in mystery because Government would have an upper hand over the processes. The most civilised way of handling these issues is to have contracts and this gives credence and respect to our Government in terms of the human and workers rights."

Mr Ndlovu said those who participated in the census were not paid and there was no way they could confront Government because there was no valid contract.

Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe chief executive Mr Manuel Nyawo said any separate arrangement outside the agreed working conditions of the workers should have a contract for the purposes of follow ups if one part fails to honour its obligations.

"ZEC is an independent body with a duty to have labour which it has to hire from the civil servants and it is worthwhile at law to have a signed arrangement between the parties involved," he said.