ZEC well prepared for June 14 by-elections

Nqobile Bhebhe

A TOTAL of 53 550 National Assembly and 8 450 Local Authority ballot papers have been printed ahead of the forthcoming by-elections scheduled for 14 June in four areas across the country.

The by-elections will be held in Insiza North and Gutu East constituencies for the National Assembly, while Binga and Chipinge districts will hold Local Authority polls.

In an update on preparations, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) chief elections officer, Mr Simbarashe Tongayi, said the printed ballot papers will cater for all registered voters in the affected areas, with an additional contingency.

“A total of 53 550 National Assembly ballot papers have been printed to cater for 48 970 registered voters in the two constituencies. For the Local Authority by-elections, 8 450 ballot papers have been printed,” he said.

Mr Tongayi said the Printing and Minting Company of Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd, located in Msasa, Harare, was contracted to print the ballot papers.

“It is hereby notified, in terms of section 52A (2) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13], that for purposes of the by-elections to be held on the 14th of June, 2025, Printing and Minting Company of Zimbabwe Pvt (Ltd) was given the mandate to print ballot papers to be used for the National Assembly and Local Authority by-elections,” he said.

“A contingency of 9,35 percent for National Assembly and 8,04 percent for Local Authority has been added to the ballots. The ballot papers were printed in books of 50 each.”

The Insiza North National Assembly seat in Matabeleland South fell vacant following the death of Cde Farai Taruvinga of Zanu PF, who succumbed to cancer in March.

Four candidates will contest the by-election, having filed their nomination papers at the Gwanda Provincial Magistrates’ Courts recently.

These are Cde Delani Moyo of Zanu-PF, Mr Thabani Mlotshwa of Zapu, independent candidate Mr Lesley Dubeand Mr Mbongeni Moyo of the Zimbabwe National Revival Party.

In Masvingo Province, three candidates will contest the Gutu East seat, which became vacant following the expulsion of Mr Benjamin Ganyiwa from Zanu-PF.

Mr Ganyiwa had been elected in the 2023 harmonised elections before his expulsion led to the seat’s nullification.

Candidates vying for the Gutu East seat, as confirmed by the Masvingo Magistrates’ Court nomination proceedings, are Cde Zvarevashe Masvingise of Zanu PF, Mr Gift Gonese (independent), and Mr Zivanai Nzvenga of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA).

Zanu PF remains politically dominant in Masvingo, having secured 24 out of 26 seats in the 2023 harmonised elections.