Zimbabwe Council of Churches Secretary General Rev Solomon Zwana (Photo by Moses Chibaya)

Zimbabwe Council of Churches Secretary General Rev Solomon Zwana (Photo by Moses Chibaya)

Christian religion representative body has expressed shock at the unilateral setting of election dates by President Mugabe arguing that a lot of things are still outstanding.

Zimbabwe Council of Churches says it was surprise by the sudden proclamation of the election date by President Robert Mugabe.

President Mugabe has circumvented Parliament and gazetted Statutory Instrument 85 of 2013 to proclaim the elections date as July 31 in a bid to comply with a constitutional court order to hold elections by 31 July.

Reverend Solomon Zwana, the secretary general of Zimbabwe Council of Churches, said: “We are really anxious and concerned with the date that has been announced. Our fear is that the date that was announced does not allow all the process that need to be done. 

“This will result in an election that is not credible and true. We were hoping that everything which includes a 30 day voter registration, 30 day voter inspection and 14 days sitting of the nomination court would take place. We were also expecting to see the implementation of reforms that would allow a free and fair election.”

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai says he was notified by the president through a letter this morning.

“Today early this morning I received a letter from president Mugabe dated 13 June 2013 in which he advised in a purported compliance with the constitutional court judgment he was proclaiming the 28th of June 2013 as the sitting of the nomination court and the 31st of July 2013 as the election day,” Tsvangirai said.

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