Minister urges Matabeleland South to register to vote

MATABELELAND South Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Abednico Ncube has called on people in the province to register to vote in the 2023 harmonised elections.

This comes at a time the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has lifted the suspension on voter registration which restarted today around the country.

Minister Ncube's sentiments are in light of the fact that Matabeleland provinces risk having fewer constituencies and wards when delimitation is done as some areas have low numbers of registered voters. Matabeleland South province has 13 constituencies.

Conducted by the Zec, delimitation is the process of dividing the country into constituencies and wards for the purposes of elections of persons to constituency seats in the National Assembly and councillors to local authorities.

The process is carried out in terms of sections 160 and 161 of the Constitution.

Delimitation involves coming up with a minimum threshold of registered voters to make the country's constituencies, and is conducted using the number of registered voters in an administrative jurisdiction. In the country, the minimum threshold is plus or minus 20 percent of 26 300.

According to registered voters countrywide of 5 524 188 divided by the number of 210 constituencies, a constituency should be made up of plus or minus 26 306 voters.

Currently, Beitbridge East has 34 733, Beitbridge West 16 427, Bulilima East 17 977, Bulilima West 15 966, Gwanda Central 27 592, Gwanda North 16 173, Gwanda South 15 523, Insiza North 25 858, Insiza South 14 664, Mangwe 18 846, Matobo North 19 103, Matobo South 15 824 and Umzingwane constituency has 25 473 registered voters.

Addressing Government officials at the Matabeleland South Provincial Development Committee (PDC) meeting held at the Governor's boardroom here yesterday, Minister Ncube said there is a need for people from all walks of life to register to vote in order to enjoy their fundamental rights.

"Let's bury our differences and adhere to the registration exercise process as it helps the communities to apply their right to vote which the Second Republic is working hard to ensure everyone enjoys their rights.

"I urge leaders to conscientise people to register in numbers and those without the valid documents like identity documents should be assisted in acquiring them," said Minister Ncube.

Speaking at the same occasion, Zec Matabeleland South Provincial Election Officer Mr Rabson Nyoni said they are ready to roll out the voter registration process.

"We are starting again our voter registration process tomorrow (today) and as an organisation going forward we are going to have a voter registration blitz before the elections," he said.

Mr Nyoni said local leadership should engage their communities to take up the process as the statistics also help in the areas developmental growth.

"Wards are a basic tool for development and to have these numbers also helps in the service delivery of local authorities.

"We also urge Zimbabweans based abroad to register when they are in the country to ensure that the delimitation process does not affect the province," said Mr Nyoni.