News / National
VIEW: Full Zimbabwe poll candidate list
01 Jul 2023 at 03:12hrs | Views
THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) yesterday gazetted the final list of candidates who successfully submitted their papers during the sitting of the Nomination Court for the August 23 harmonised elections, with the highlight being the fielding of double candidates by the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) in 20 constituencies.
All the names of Presidential, Senate, National Assembly, Women's Quota and Youth Quota candidates were published, as well as for Provincial/Metropolitan councils.
ZEC chief elections officer Mr Utoile Silaigwana also appointed Constituency Elections Officers for Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Eleven candidates will battle it out for the presidency, and these are; front-runner and incumbent President Mnangagwa, Mr Douglas Mwonzora, Professor Lovemore Madhuku, Mr Nelson Chamisa, Mr Joseph Makamba Busha, Mr Tapiwa Chikohora, Reverend Henry Gwinyai Muzorewa, Mr Peter Harry Wilson, Mr Archbald Mubaiwa, Mr Saviour Kasukuwere and Dr Blessing Kasiyamhuru.
In terms of the National Assembly, Zanu-PF successfully fielded candidates in all the 210 seats, while CCC's confusion hogged the limelight after the party fielded double candidates in 20 constituencies, with 15 of them being in Harare Province, three in Bulawayo, one in Mashonaland East and one in Mashonaland West.
In Harare Province, constituencies with double candidates from CCC are Chitungwiza North, Chitungwiza South, Churu, Harare South, Harare West, Hatcliffe, Hatfield, Hunyani, Zengeza East, St Mary's, Sunningdale, Warren Park, Epworth South, Harare Central and Harare East.
In Bulawayo Province, constituencies with double candidates are Entumbane-Njube, Pelandaba-Tshabalala and Pumula.
In Mashonaland East, Marondera Central constituency has double candidates while in Mashonaland West, the affected constituency is Kariba.
CCC officials who confided with The Herald said the double candidates were occasioned by corruption and secrecy under which the selection process was done, led by Mr Chamisa himself and a handful of his confidantes.
Following the gazetting of all the candidates' names yesterday, the next stage will be the designing of ballot papers and ZEC will then start distributing the final voters' roll to all candidates.
Contestants will only receive voters' rolls specific to their areas of contest.
In an interview this week, ZEC Vice Chairperson Ambassador Rodney Kiwa said as things stand, the independent elections body was on course to see through successful, free, fair and credible elections.
"We are on course. The next stage will be the designing of the ballot papers for all contestants," he said.
Already, Zanu-PF has won 53 local authority seats uncontested after opposition political parties failed to field candidates at the close of the Nomination Court on June 21.
Zanu-PF won in areas such as Ward 1 (Sithabiso Mpofu) and Ward 2 (Thulani Moyo) in Gwanda Municipality after the CCC and other opposition parties failed to field candidates.
Owing to confusion within the CCC, some candidates such as Gwanda mayor Njabulo Siziba elected to file his candidature as an independent after being ruthlessly removed from the party nomination list.
Mr Sipho Mokoena, who was expected to represent CCC in Gwanda North Constituency, was scrapped at the 11th hour and is also contesting as an independent candidate.
In some provinces outside Harare, the CCC candidates started filing their paperwork late on the day, with patient ZEC officials helping them to register allegedly way after the deadline.
In Bulawayo Province, all the 12 CCC National Assembly candidates had ZEC to thank after they had submitted papers that did not meet the regulations.
If ZEC had opted to be strict, Zanu-PF could have won the seats except in constituencies where other fringe opposition parties or independents filed their papers.
Zanu-PF is unhappy that ZEC stretched its patience too far until CCC candidates either got the requisite clearance from the party or the money to pay for their nomination.
All the names of Presidential, Senate, National Assembly, Women's Quota and Youth Quota candidates were published, as well as for Provincial/Metropolitan councils.
ZEC chief elections officer Mr Utoile Silaigwana also appointed Constituency Elections Officers for Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Eleven candidates will battle it out for the presidency, and these are; front-runner and incumbent President Mnangagwa, Mr Douglas Mwonzora, Professor Lovemore Madhuku, Mr Nelson Chamisa, Mr Joseph Makamba Busha, Mr Tapiwa Chikohora, Reverend Henry Gwinyai Muzorewa, Mr Peter Harry Wilson, Mr Archbald Mubaiwa, Mr Saviour Kasukuwere and Dr Blessing Kasiyamhuru.
In terms of the National Assembly, Zanu-PF successfully fielded candidates in all the 210 seats, while CCC's confusion hogged the limelight after the party fielded double candidates in 20 constituencies, with 15 of them being in Harare Province, three in Bulawayo, one in Mashonaland East and one in Mashonaland West.
In Harare Province, constituencies with double candidates from CCC are Chitungwiza North, Chitungwiza South, Churu, Harare South, Harare West, Hatcliffe, Hatfield, Hunyani, Zengeza East, St Mary's, Sunningdale, Warren Park, Epworth South, Harare Central and Harare East.
In Bulawayo Province, constituencies with double candidates are Entumbane-Njube, Pelandaba-Tshabalala and Pumula.
In Mashonaland East, Marondera Central constituency has double candidates while in Mashonaland West, the affected constituency is Kariba.
CCC officials who confided with The Herald said the double candidates were occasioned by corruption and secrecy under which the selection process was done, led by Mr Chamisa himself and a handful of his confidantes.
Following the gazetting of all the candidates' names yesterday, the next stage will be the designing of ballot papers and ZEC will then start distributing the final voters' roll to all candidates.
Contestants will only receive voters' rolls specific to their areas of contest.
"We are on course. The next stage will be the designing of the ballot papers for all contestants," he said.
Already, Zanu-PF has won 53 local authority seats uncontested after opposition political parties failed to field candidates at the close of the Nomination Court on June 21.
Zanu-PF won in areas such as Ward 1 (Sithabiso Mpofu) and Ward 2 (Thulani Moyo) in Gwanda Municipality after the CCC and other opposition parties failed to field candidates.
Owing to confusion within the CCC, some candidates such as Gwanda mayor Njabulo Siziba elected to file his candidature as an independent after being ruthlessly removed from the party nomination list.
Mr Sipho Mokoena, who was expected to represent CCC in Gwanda North Constituency, was scrapped at the 11th hour and is also contesting as an independent candidate.
In some provinces outside Harare, the CCC candidates started filing their paperwork late on the day, with patient ZEC officials helping them to register allegedly way after the deadline.
In Bulawayo Province, all the 12 CCC National Assembly candidates had ZEC to thank after they had submitted papers that did not meet the regulations.
If ZEC had opted to be strict, Zanu-PF could have won the seats except in constituencies where other fringe opposition parties or independents filed their papers.
Zanu-PF is unhappy that ZEC stretched its patience too far until CCC candidates either got the requisite clearance from the party or the money to pay for their nomination.
#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;">Government Gazette Extraordinary Vol 64-30-06 2023 Electoral Act Final by #from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;">Business Daily Zimbabwe on Scribd
Source - The Herald
