The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is ready to conduct national elections and only needs the requisite proclamation from President Robert Mugabe in his capacity as Head of State, the Zimbabwe's Herald Online reported on Wednesday.

This after Mugabe last week indicated that a referendum for a new constitution will be held in the first quarter of next year while elections would follow by mid-2011.

Acting ZEC chairperson Joyce Kazembe said that they would have no problems conducting the polls.

"Our mandate is to implement Presidential proclamations as and when they are made. If a proclamation is made, we implement it," she said.

Kazembe refused to discuss details concerning resources needed to conduct national elections saying that would not matter because ZEC would be bound to implement any Presidential proclamation.

Political analyst Maxwell Hove said that elections should be held next year as prescribed in the Global Political Agreement (GPA) signed by Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations.

"The GPA's legal life and timetable expires in February next year. This means that in any case thereafter, elections should be held.

"We cannot continue with this thing called the inclusive Government forever and the only exit strategy is to go for elections soon after the expiry of its legal lifespan."