871 candidates to contest 2013 harmonised elections

FIVE Presidential candidates and a combined 871 National Assembly candidates will battle it out in 210 constituencies in the harmonised elections slated for July 31.

This is contained in a Government Gazette published on Friday.

The list also includes candidates to contest in the senatorial elections.

"It is hereby notified, in terms of section 106 of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2: 13), that at the close of the Nomination Court which sat on Friday, 28 June, 2013, the following candidates were nominated for election to the office of President -Mugabe Robert Gabriel (Zanu-PF), Dabengwa Dumiso (ZAPU), Tsvangirai Morgan (MDC-T), Ncube Welshman (MDC) and Mukwazhe Munodei Kisinoti (ZDP)," read the gazette.

"Accordingly polling shall take place on Wednesday 31 July, 2013 from 7 am to 7 pm for the purpose of electing a person to the office of the President."

National Assembly members were nominated in terms of section 48 of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13).

Government also published names of the 210 constituency elections officers and addresses of the command centres in the constituencies.

The list of candidates includes most MDC-T members who filed the nomination papers as independent candidates.

The gazette shows that 78 candidates from the main political parties registered as independents after they lost in the primaries.

At least 41 MDC-T candidates who lost in the controversial confirmation and primary election processes chose to stand on their own in the upcoming elections.

Zanu-PF had 12 candidates who filed their papers as independent candidates after losing in the primary elections or were barred from contesting but most of them withdrew their candidature.

Only Jonathan Samukange (Mudzi South), Nokuthula Matsikenyere (Chimanimani West), Daniel Garwe (Murehwa North) and Marian Chombo (Zvimba North) have not pulled out. The Constitutional Court last Thursday upheld July 31 as the date when Zimbabwe would hold its harmonised elections.

The court threw out five different applications which sought the postponement of the poll to various dates next month.

President Mugabe on June 13 proclaimed the election and nomination dates but Mr Tsvangirai and Professor Ncube challenged the dates.

A Bulawayo based woman Ms Mariah Phiri and Mr Nixon Nyikadzino had also sought postponement of the elections.

The application by Mr Tsvangirai and Prof Ncube seeking to have the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) Act Chapter 10:20 to effect amendments to the Electoral Act set aside hit a snag as the court did not make an order in that respect.

The Constitutional Court had ruled on May 31, that President Mugabe proclaim election dates and hold harmonised elections by July 31 this year, a ruling President Mugabe immediately implemented by proclaiming July 31 as the date of voting.

The MDC formations then lobbied Sadc and the regional bloc tasked Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa to appeal to the Constitutional Court on behalf of Government to postpone the elections beyond July 31 to accommodate their demands for reforms.

The MDC-T, with the help of civil society and legal firms went on to draw up the "Strategic Election Litigation" aimed at flooding the court with vexatious applications to prevent it from dealing with matters in time in a bid to subvert the implementation of its July 31 order.