PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe is under pressure from Zanu-PF hawks to repudiate an earlier undertaking to allow locals domiciled in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to participate in the coming polls through postal voting.
Mugabe had warmed up to the idea of allowing Zimbabweans living in the SADC region to vote since the respective countries in the bloc had not imposed targeted sanctions on Zanu-PF leaders, making it possible for the party to campaign there freely.
The cabinet had also agreed in principle to the diaspora vote plan.
But the Zanu-PF negotiating team and other party hardliners are fiercely opposed to the idea, which they want shelved.
Zanu-PF generally regards locals living in foreign lands, who mostly left because of a hostile political and economic environment, as unsympathetic to it.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's spokesman, Luke Tamborinyoka, said the country's political leaders had indeed reached a deal on postal voting after the Zanu-PF leader had softened his stance.
"Yes, I can confirm that the principals agreed on postal voting," Tamborinyoka said.
Presidential spokesman George Charamba said the only agreement that exists was that Zimbabweans living outside the country should come back home and register in their constituencies to enable them to vote.
In 2005 the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe dismissed a constitutional application by a group of Zimbabweans based in the United Kingdom, who had sought an order granting them the right to vote.
The test case, which was led by banker and chief executive of thr online news publication Newzimbabwe.com Jeff Madzingo had challenged the constitutionality of the current system that allows only those on national duty outside the country to vote
Mugabe pressed over poll arrangements
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe is under pressure from Zanu-PF hawks to repudiate an earlier undertaking to allow locals domiciled in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to participate in the coming polls through postal voting.
Mugabe had warmed up to the idea of allowing Zimbabweans living in the SADC region to vote since the respective countries in the bloc had not imposed targeted sanctions on Zanu-PF leaders, making it possible for the party to campaign there freely.
The cabinet had also agreed in principle to the diaspora vote plan.
But the Zanu-PF negotiating team and other party hardliners are fiercely opposed to the idea, which they want shelved.
Zanu-PF generally regards locals living in foreign lands, who mostly left because of a hostile political and economic environment, as unsympathetic to it.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's spokesman, Luke Tamborinyoka, said the country's political leaders had indeed reached a deal on postal voting after the Zanu-PF leader had softened his stance.
"Yes, I can confirm that the principals agreed on postal voting," Tamborinyoka said.
Presidential spokesman George Charamba said the only agreement that exists was that Zimbabweans living outside the country should come back home and register in their constituencies to enable them to vote.
In 2005 the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe dismissed a constitutional application by a group of Zimbabweans based in the United Kingdom, who had sought an order granting them the right to vote.
The test case, which was led by banker and chief executive of thr online news publication Newzimbabwe.com Jeff Madzingo had challenged the constitutionality of the current system that allows only those on national duty outside the country to vote
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