How the Nomination Court works

NOMINATION Courts sit countrywide today to accept candidates for the 2023 harmonised elections to be held on 23 August.

Candidates vying for the presidential post will pay a US$20 000 nomination fee and will submit their papers at the High Court in Harare.

National Assembly candidates will submit their papers at the Provincial Magistrate Courts and will pay a fee of US$1 000.

Senators, Women’s Quota and Youth Quota candidates will pay US$200 and their papers will also be submitted at Provincial Magistrate Courts.

Candidates vying for council positions do not pay anything and will submit their papers at councils’ offices countrywide.

A presidential candidate needs 10 registered voters to nominate him or her in each province.

In Bulawayo National Assembly candidates will submit their papers at Tredgold Magistrate Courts while those intending to contest for council will submit their papers at Bulawayo City Council Chambers.

In Matabeleland North, candidates will submit their nomination papers at Lupane Magistrate Court while those vying for council positions will submit their papers at their respective council offices such as Umguza Rural District Council, Bubi Rural District Council and Victoria Falls City Council among others.

In Matabeleland South candidates will submit their nomination papers at Gwanda Magistrate Courts with aspiring councillors filing their papers at Gwanda Town Council offices, Gwanda Rural District Council officies, Beitbridge Town Council offices, Insiza Rural District Council offices and Matobo Rural District Council offices among others.

A candidate that qualifies to contest the presidential election should be 40 years of age, a registered voter and must be a Zimbabwean by descent and ordinarily resides in the country.

The aspiring candidate should be nominated by at least 100 registered candidates, 10 per province.

Those vying for the National Assembly seat, should be 21 years of age, registered voters and should be nominated by five registered voters from the same constituency.

Candidates for the Women’s Quota should meet the other requirements of National Assembly candidates except that of being nominated by five registered voters. They should however be registered voters in their respective provinces.

Political parties should submit six candidates for the Women’s Quota selection. Council candidates should meet the conditions that apply to National Assembly candidates.

Senate candidates should be 40 years of age.

Aspiring candidates are expected to produce three passport size photos (full colour), original birth certificate and a copy, original National I.D. and a copy, gazetted nomination fees and two signed copies of the code of conduct for political parties and candidates as well as confirmation by an authorised party representative that she or he is the candidate for the party.

Failure to satisfy the expected requirement will result in the disqualification of candidates.

Some of the issues that can result in a candidate being disqualified include being in a party list for more than one province, standing as a candidate in more than one ward or constituency.

Ballot papers will only be printed after the sitting of the nomination Court as the Zimbabwe Election Commission cannot prepare ballot papers before candidates are known.
-@nqotshili