No Katiba vote on April 30, govt admits

• Premier Pinda says the whole matter is now in the hands of NEC, which should soon issue a statement on the new referendum date

Dodoma. For the first time, the government has admitted that the much awaited referendum cannot be conducted on April 30, saying it has left the matter in the discretion of the National Electoral Commission (NEC).

Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda told the National Assembly yesterday that any time from now, NEC would issue its statement concerning the new referendum date.

The move came just few hours after the Opposition in Parliament asked Speaker Anne Makinda to compel the PM to issue a statement on the controversy surrounding voter listing through the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) and the referendum.

Earlier in the morning session, the Opposition stole the show when they demanded that the government issue a statement on the slow pace in voter registration and uncertainty surrounding the date of thea referendum for the Proposed Constitution.

Unlike in the previous sessions when opposition MPs walked out of the debating chamber to protest any decision they did not approve of, yesterday they came up with a new style—standing up.

http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/national/No-Katiba-vote-on-April-30--govt-admits/-/1840392/2673566/-/erhefv/-/index.html