News / National
Political parties race against nomination deadline
23 Jun 2013 at 05:46hrs | Views
The nomination court will sit this Friday to approve Presidential, parliamentary and council candidates for the forthcoming harmonised elections as the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) aligns electoral processes with the Presidential proclamation to hold national polls by July 31.
Prospective parliamentary and council candidates are required to register their nomination by Wednesday.
Participating parties are also required to submit their respective lists for the proportional parliamentary representation system and provincial council by the same day.
According to the Electoral Act, the nomination court should sit 14 days after proclamation.
Zec Chief Elections Officer Mr Lovemore Sekeramayi told 'The Sunday Mail' yesterday that his commission will conduct the nomination process countrywide.
He urged all prospective candidates to submit their papers this week. Barring any amendments, the sitting will be the last official process leading to polling day.
"All prospective candidates can obtain nomination forms at any of the commission's offices situated throughout the country," said Mr Sekeramayi.
"In line with provisions of Section 38 A of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13), all political parties are advised to provide the commission with the names of at least three national office bearers of the party and the names of at least three provincial office bearers for each province, any two of whom will be authorised to countersign the nomination form.
"Political parties are advised that it is in their best interests to submit their nomination forms as well as the party lists for the Senate, National Assembly and Provincial Council seats on any day but two days before the sitting of the nomination courts so that these can be checked in advance of the sitting of the Nomination Court to enable timeous rectification of errors, if any, in the nomination forms."
According to a schedule made available, the Nomination Court for Presidential candidates will sit at the High Court, Court A, Mapondera Building, Harare.
The Nomination Court for the National Assembly will sit at provincial magistrates' courts countrywide.
Aspiring councillors are expected to submit their nominations at rural and urban council offices.
Mr Sekeramayi would not be drawn into commenting on whether the nomination process would be cancelled in the event the Constitutional Court alters the election date in the wake of an application made by Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa to extend the date of the elections by two weeks.
The application followed a proposal made by Sadc at its summit in Mozambique last week. According to the law, the Nomination Court can only sit 14 days after the proclamation of an election date.
The law also provides for 30 days between nomination and polling day.
Prospective candidates are allowed to submit nomination papers to Zec before the actual Nomination Court sitting. The voters roll should be closed no later than 12 days after the nomination date.
Prospective parliamentary and council candidates are required to register their nomination by Wednesday.
Participating parties are also required to submit their respective lists for the proportional parliamentary representation system and provincial council by the same day.
According to the Electoral Act, the nomination court should sit 14 days after proclamation.
Zec Chief Elections Officer Mr Lovemore Sekeramayi told 'The Sunday Mail' yesterday that his commission will conduct the nomination process countrywide.
He urged all prospective candidates to submit their papers this week. Barring any amendments, the sitting will be the last official process leading to polling day.
"All prospective candidates can obtain nomination forms at any of the commission's offices situated throughout the country," said Mr Sekeramayi.
"In line with provisions of Section 38 A of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13), all political parties are advised to provide the commission with the names of at least three national office bearers of the party and the names of at least three provincial office bearers for each province, any two of whom will be authorised to countersign the nomination form.
According to a schedule made available, the Nomination Court for Presidential candidates will sit at the High Court, Court A, Mapondera Building, Harare.
The Nomination Court for the National Assembly will sit at provincial magistrates' courts countrywide.
Aspiring councillors are expected to submit their nominations at rural and urban council offices.
Mr Sekeramayi would not be drawn into commenting on whether the nomination process would be cancelled in the event the Constitutional Court alters the election date in the wake of an application made by Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa to extend the date of the elections by two weeks.
The application followed a proposal made by Sadc at its summit in Mozambique last week. According to the law, the Nomination Court can only sit 14 days after the proclamation of an election date.
The law also provides for 30 days between nomination and polling day.
Prospective candidates are allowed to submit nomination papers to Zec before the actual Nomination Court sitting. The voters roll should be closed no later than 12 days after the nomination date.
Source - Zimpapers
