News / National
By-elections Nomination Court sits next week
29 Oct 2023 at 12:29hrs | Views
The Nomination Court is scheduled to convene next Tuesday to accept nomination papers from potential candidates for the December 9 by-elections. These by-elections aim to fill nine vacant National Assembly seats resulting from recalls within the opposition.
The interim secretary-general of the Citizens Coalition for Change, Mr. Sengezo Tshabangu, recently recalled 15 legislators, which includes six elected through proportional representation, along with nine senators and 17 councilors.
The by-elections will take place in the following constituencies: Beitbridge West, Binga North, Bulawayo South, Cowdray Park, Lobengula-Magwegwe, Lupane East, Mabvuku-Tafara, Mpopoma-Mzilikazi, and Nketa.
Each National Assembly candidate is required to pay a nomination fee of US$1,000.
Ambassador Rodney Kiwa, the deputy chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), confirmed that preparations for the by-elections were progressing as planned. He mentioned that the Electoral Act mandates the ZEC to initiate preparations to fill a parliamentary vacancy upon receiving notification from the Speaker of Parliament.
Kiwa explained the key steps involved in the election process, including the preparation of voters' rolls, the convening of the Nomination Court, voter education, polling station publication, ballot paper printing, and the actual conduct of the by-elections.
Regarding the voters' roll inspection, Kiwa noted that there won't be a comprehensive voters' roll inspection. However, the commission will display polling station voters' rolls outside polling stations two days before the polling day to help voters identify their correct polling stations. Registered voters can also use the Econet and NetOne mobile phone platform *265# to verify their registration details and polling stations.
Kiwa clarified that, according to the Electoral Act, the voters' roll for the upcoming by-elections closed two days after the proclamation of the election date. As the by-elections were proclaimed on October 23, the voters' rolls for these elections closed on October 25. This means that individuals who registered as voters before October 25 will be eligible to vote in the December 9, 2023 by-elections.
The ZEC is currently working on the budget for these elections. Additionally, Mr. Utloile Silaigwana, the Chief Elections Officer of ZEC, assured that preparations for the Gutu West constituency by-election, scheduled for November 11, were also proceeding smoothly. He urged all candidates to campaign peacefully and avoid using hate speech.
The interim secretary-general of the Citizens Coalition for Change, Mr. Sengezo Tshabangu, recently recalled 15 legislators, which includes six elected through proportional representation, along with nine senators and 17 councilors.
The by-elections will take place in the following constituencies: Beitbridge West, Binga North, Bulawayo South, Cowdray Park, Lobengula-Magwegwe, Lupane East, Mabvuku-Tafara, Mpopoma-Mzilikazi, and Nketa.
Each National Assembly candidate is required to pay a nomination fee of US$1,000.
Kiwa explained the key steps involved in the election process, including the preparation of voters' rolls, the convening of the Nomination Court, voter education, polling station publication, ballot paper printing, and the actual conduct of the by-elections.
Regarding the voters' roll inspection, Kiwa noted that there won't be a comprehensive voters' roll inspection. However, the commission will display polling station voters' rolls outside polling stations two days before the polling day to help voters identify their correct polling stations. Registered voters can also use the Econet and NetOne mobile phone platform *265# to verify their registration details and polling stations.
Kiwa clarified that, according to the Electoral Act, the voters' roll for the upcoming by-elections closed two days after the proclamation of the election date. As the by-elections were proclaimed on October 23, the voters' rolls for these elections closed on October 25. This means that individuals who registered as voters before October 25 will be eligible to vote in the December 9, 2023 by-elections.
The ZEC is currently working on the budget for these elections. Additionally, Mr. Utloile Silaigwana, the Chief Elections Officer of ZEC, assured that preparations for the Gutu West constituency by-election, scheduled for November 11, were also proceeding smoothly. He urged all candidates to campaign peacefully and avoid using hate speech.
Source - Sunday Mail
