Delimitation report rattles Zanu-PF

TWO shadowy Zanu-PF groups have trashed a Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) preliminary delimitation report showing the ruling party losing some rural wards to urban constituencies that are widely believed to be opposition strongholds.

According to the Zec preliminary report, while most provinces have maintained the same number of constituencies, several rural districts have lost wards to peri-urban areas and growth points.

For example, in Mashonaland East, Zec provincial elections officer Collins Munetsi revealed that Chikomba and Hwedza districts lost a constituency each while Seke had one added.

Another constituency, Ruwa, was also added to the province.

Yesterday, two pro-Zanu-PF organisations held separate Press conferences in the capital to trash the Zec report.

MenBelievED spokesperson Timothy Nyakudzuka accused Zec of conducting a flawed exercise.

"As a community of interest in the delimitation of electoral boundaries, we believe the commission did not have sufficient time to execute a thorough and effective process, and it is consequently the reason why we are here today, to express our disgruntlement in Zec's failure to define a path for fair representation and contribution of the thoughts of the general public," said Nyakudzuka.

"Without sufficient consultations with the people of this nation, this delimitation remains the work of the electoral commission, not our people and it should not be trusted as a path to build our country. Let us be clear, any delimitation process not informed by the views of our people is a flawed process."

Association of Rural Districts Councils of Zimbabwe, which is made up of mainly Zanu-PF-led rural councils, also attacked Zec over the delimitation exercise.

The leader of the association, David Mutasa said Zec wanted to disrupt the traditional way of life through the delimitation exercise.

"This delimitation process has resulted in disharmony among communities, undermined traditional values and reduced confidence in emerging societies. Our people should never have to choose between their nations and boundaries," he said.

"Traditional leaders, business community, farmers, miners, in fact, most stakeholders were excluded from the consultative process and we hear that the commission has completed delimitation and made decisions on behalf of all these stakeholders in delimiting the nation's boundaries."

Both Zanu-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa and Zec spokesperson Jasper Mangwana could not be reached for comment yesterday.