Zimbabwe could go to polls soon if the inter-party talks fail to change the constitution which would enable the country to have a prime minister, local media said on Saturday.

According to the state media New Ziana, the ruling Zanu-PF negotiator Patrick Chinamasa said the failure could result in early polls.

The government was expected to gazette the bill on the change on Saturday, he said, adding that the three parties to the power-sharing deal would be required to support the amendment.

A two-thirds majority was required to pass the bill through the parliament, but no single party had absolute majority.

"If no support is forthcoming," Chinamasa said, "it means that Amendment Number 19 Bill will be a dead matter. If collaboration is not forthcoming, that will necessitate freshly harmonized elections." He said, adding that all political parties had to demonstrate their commitment to the inter-party agreement.

The other parties were the two MDC factions.

Chinamasa said the Bill to be brought before Parliament 30 days after gazetting would require two weeks to debate. The parties that signed a power-sharing agreement on September 15 were failing to agree on the allocation of Cabinet posts.

The Southern African Development Community chose South Africa to broker the talks.

(Xinhua News Agency December 14, 2008)