Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has claimed that it does not have resources to allow Zimbabweans in the diaspora to vote during the upcoming 2018 elections, a report said on Wednesday.

According to New Zimbabwe.com, a coalition of opposition parties under the banner of the National Electoral Reform Agenda (Nera) and the electoral body ZEC failed this week to reach an agreement on some of the key issues raised by the opposition parties.

The Zimbabwean opposition had demanded, among others issues, that those living in the diaspora be allowed to vote in the next election.

They also wanted the ZEC to introduce the biometric vote and to allow the United Nation to run the elections.

But the election agency said it was not opposed to the diaspora vote, adding, however, that there was "no funding for the necessary logistical arrangements".

Furthermore, according to a report by NewsDay, Zec chairperson, Justice Rita Makarau claimed that her hands were tied and could not "demilitarise the electoral management body’s secretariat" because the employees had binding employment contracts.

"The Zec chairperson admitted that there were members of the security services within Zec, but argued that Zec’s hands were tied because these officers had contracts of employment with Zec," Nera legal advisor, Douglas Mwonzora was quoted as saying.