Electoral boundaries unchanged

Harare – The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) yesterday said there will be no new delimitation of boundaries for harmonised elections to be held on 31 July this year. In a statement, ZEC chief elections officer Lovemore Sekeramayi said electoral boundaries for the harmonised elections remain as they were for the 2008 elections.
“It is hereby notified for general information that, notwithstanding the publication of any proclamation creating new local authorities or altering the provincial boundaries of any province, the electoral boundaries as determined by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission in its 2008 delimitation report will apply for the 2013 harmonised elections,” said Sekeramayi.

ZEC has been on record saying that for some communities who might have been relocated such as the Chiadzwa families, they should either transfer their names to the new wards they are staying or travel to the old wards to cast their ballots.

Last Friday, all aspiring candidates for local government, national assembly, senatorial and presidential seats filed their nomination papers with ZEC signaling the start of the final election season.

Meanwhile, ZEC says it will next week start accrediting observers for the 2013 harmonised elections at designated venues in all the country’s 10 provinces.

The western countries have since approached Zanu-PF seeking to be allowed to take part in observing the country’s elections.
But Zimbabwe’s stance is that countries that imposed illegal sanctions should not be allowed to observe her elections.

Five candidates including President Mugabe of Zanu-PF are contesting for the presidential seat.
This year’s election is expected to produce an outright winner to end the five-year coalition government established in 2009.

Recent surveys by local and international polls point to President Mugabe retaining the presidency in spite of the West bankrolling opposition parties and non-governmental organisations to lay the ground for toppling him. – New Ziana.