ALL is set for the Nomination Court which is sitting today marking the beginning of the race for the August 23 harmonised elections.
Aspiring candidates sponsored by political parties and
independents across the country are today expected to submit their nomination
papers.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) had by end of
business yesterday, set up stations at provincial magistrate courts and at all
councils offices where candidates will file their nomination papers.
A Chronicle news crew observed some aspiring candidates
conducting a pre-lodging exercise with ZEC officials assisting them to verify
their papers.
ZEC chief elections officer Mr Utloile Silaigwana said the
commission is ready for the sitting of the Nomination Court.
He said the public should be aware that elections will be
conducted using new delimitation boundaries.
“We would like to advise that the Nomination Courts as per
the proclamation will commence at 10AM and close at 4PM tomorrow, 21 June 2023.
This is in terms of the electoral law Section 46 subsection 7 of the Electoral
Act and that says no nomination paper shall be received after 4PM on the
nomination date,” he said.
Mr Silaigwana however said those candidates who will be
inside the Nomination Court by 4PM, will be attended to.
He said ZEC has fixed anomalies that the public raised
during the voter’s roll inspection.
“I want to assure the electorate that the commission has
rectified the anomalies that were identified by both voters and ourselves.
“From the proclamation of the election by the State
President setting 23 August as the date
for the harmonised elections, ZEC would like to advise the electorate that the
voters’ roll for this election closed on the 2nd of June in accordance with the
electoral law,” said Mr Silaigwana
The main political parties yesterday said they are
targeting all the available
seats ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections.
Zanu- PF national commissar Cde Mike Bimha said the party
has candidates for all contested seats.
“As before we have never had any fear of contesting for any
position, we will contest all positions. After the nomination court, our
campaigns start,” he said.
Cde Bimha said the ruling party is confident of a resounding
victory.
He said Zanu- PF has assembled the best team chosen by the
party’s structures to represent the party in the elections.
“We are getting closer to what we have been waiting for. We
have been organising our party, re-energising our party, holding our internal
elections as per our constitution, mobilising our electorate, educating our
membership in terms of what the party stands for and what Government has done
since the coming of the Second Republic and what has already been achieved in
terms of our road towards achieving Vision 2030,” said Cde Bimha.
MDC spokesperson Mr Witness Dube said his party will be
fielding candidates across the board despite not having finalised the list for
those contesting for local authority seats.
“With regards to the Parliamentary positions we are
fielding a full complement of 210 candidates, plus the proportional
representation list, that is the Senate, Lower House and the proportional
representation for councils,” he said.
Mr Dube said the party had by yesterday 90 percent of the
candidates for councils.
“ We will do our final tally first thing in the morning
before our team heads to the Nomination Court,” he said.
Posting on social media platform Twitter, Citizen Coalition
for Change (CCC) deputy spokesperson Mr Gift Ostallos Siziba said the
opposition party will contest in all the available seats for councils.
“One Presidential candidate. 210 Members of Parliament.
1970 Councillors. Let’s go!” posted Mr Siziba. Chronicle
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