The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has said everything is now in place for the February 3 by-elections after the High Court upheld a challenge by the CCC secretary-general, Mr Sengezo Tshabangu to bar 23 recalled National Assembly and local authorities’ candidates from participating in the polls.
ZEC began printing of ballots on Saturday, while training
of officials to run the elections is currently underway.
At least 230 000 ballot papers for the National Assembly
elections will be printed and 144 000 will be printed for the local
authorities’ polls.
ZEC will also establish 552 polling stations.
The electoral body also revealed that the decrease in the
number of candidates on the ballot papers will result in a reduced cost to the
initially budgeted figure of US$6 million.
ZEC vice chairperson Ambassador Rodney Kiwa yesterday told
The Herald that following the settling of legal matters that were before the
courts, everything was now set for the seamless conduction of the by-elections.
“We are good to go now. Everything that we have on our
by-elections roadmap is on course now.
“We were anxious about the court challenges and that has
been decided so we are now good to go and we had not started the ballot
printing because of the court cases but printing started yesterday.
“We had budgeted for plus or minus US$6 million, but now
that there will be less people on the ballot papers, I think the budget will
also go down.
“Yes, our constituency election officers, ward election
officers, election agents and everyone else underwent a training programme for
the election to make sure that everyone is clear of what is expected of them on
election day.
“We have 552 polling stations, election material and
equipment is in place and we are printing 230 400 ballot papers for National
Assembly then 144 000 for local authorities and this will be done by the
printing and minting company of Zimbabwe,” he said.
ZEC, Ambassador Kiwa said, was appealing to registered
voters, where elections will be held, to exercise their constitutional right to
vote and shun apathy.
He said it was important for people to choose their
preferred leaders as they were responsible for the fulfilment of their
aspirations.
“Everything is now in place, like I said earlier the only
thing that was keeping us anxious was the court decision, but now that has been
decided and finalised so we are good to go.
“We just want to appeal to people to be peaceful and
turnout for the elections, please exercise your right it’s important and it’s
an opportunity to decide your leadership.
“So, we expect people to exercise their constitutional
right, we encourage and it’s really part of our voter education.”
Those barred from contesting in the polls under the CCC
banner include, former deputy spokesperson, Gift Ostallos Siziba who was
legislator for Pelandaba-Tshabalala, former leader of the opposition in
Parliament Amos Chibaya who was Mkoba North Member of Parliament and Stephen
Chagwiza who was representing Goromonzi South.
Former Harare Mayor Ian Makone who was Councillor for Ward
18 is also among the 20 councillors to be expunged from the ballot papers.
The 23 had successfully filed their nomination papers last
month as CCC candidates despite their recalls after they ceased to be members
of the opposition party.
Mr Tshabangu then challenged their nomination at the High
Court, resulting in the ruling by Justice Pisirayi Kwenda removing the 23 from
the ballot papers.
They had defiantly filed their nomination papers under the
CCC which had recalled them in the first place, defying an earlier order by the
High Court that prohibited recalled MPs from running for office in by-elections
under the opposition party’s banner.
“Three candidates were disqualified in the National
Assembly in Pelanda, Goromonzi South and Mkoba North.
“Then in local authorities 20 candidates were disqualified
this follows the court decision,” said Ambassador Kiwa.
He said accreditation of observers was also now open.
Herald
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