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Blessings Chidakwa-Herald Reporter
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has set aside US$83 million for the delimitation of constituencies for next year’s elections, with inspection of the voters roll at about 11 100 inspection centres expected to open tomorrow.
Speaking yesterday, ZEC spokesperson Commissioner Jasper Mangwana said the delimitation will be transparent as all concerned political groups and stakeholders would be included.
“A total of US$83 million has been budgeted for the delimitation broken down as US$45 million for inspection and US$38 million for delimitation,” he said.
“The budget is to cater for printing of voters’ rolls, vehicle hire, stakeholder engagement, material acquisition, voter education and publicity and personnel welfare.”
Two officers would be in charge of each inspection centre, while there would also be composite centres combining up to four inspection centres.
The voters roll open for inspection includes all who registered under biometric voter registration by May 30 this year.
“The delimitation voters roll has 5 804 497 voters,” said Comm Mangwana. “Inspection will run from 17 to 26 July 2022. Printing of voters rolls for delimitation is complete and they are being distributed to inspection centres.”
Comm Mangwana said citizens were empowered by law to raise objections concerning voters on the voters roll.
“The commission is inviting applications to observe the inspection,” he said. “The period for accreditation will run from 15 to 27 July 2022 at ZEC head office in Harare and will be decentralised as the need arises.”
ZEC has been conducting training of personnel responsible for training of voters roll inspection officers and voter educators, said Comm Mangwana.
“There will be four voter educators for each urban ward and six for rural wards,” he said.
“Voters roll cleaning from the time the commission started publishing voters roll alterations in the Government Gazette on June 23, 2022 a total of 186 220 errors have been gazetted and corrected.
“This is in compliance with Section 35(2) of the Electoral Act which compels the Commission to inform the public about any alterations it makes to the voters roll in respect of the names of the persons affected by the alterations, as well as the nature of the alterations.”
Comm Mangwana said by means of the notices, notification was made to any voter whose name appears in the notice who may have an objection to the alteration or correction to lodge an objection with ZEC.
The objections should be lodged within seven days from the date of publication of the notice.
“From November 22, 2021 up to date, the Commission has gazetted 96 284 deceased voters who have since been removed from the voters roll,” said Comm Mangwana.
“The public should expect more such notices within the coming days.”
The Government Gazette is available at centres in Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Masvingo and Mutare.
Online Reporter