Zimbabwe’s opposition party has rejected the preliminary delimitation report released by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), calling for the exercise to be redone. The report outlines the boundaries of electoral districts, and is a key step in preparations for any national election.
Tendai Biti, the Citizens Coalition for Change Harare East MP, said the report must be more precise in order to be accepted, and that it is crucial to have last year’s census report available before analyzing the delimitation report. MDC Alliance leader Douglas Mwonzora also stated that the report is unacceptable and that ZEC must be asked to repeat the delimitation exercise based on the population census.
Mwonzora warned that if ZEC proceeds with the current report, the election could be deemed null and void by the courts. Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi stated that the President is obliged to present the report to parliament for debate and that any concerns noted by lawmakers will be transmitted to the President and ZEC.
This development has raised concerns about the transparency and fairness of the electoral process in Zimbabwe, where the ruling party has been accused of rigging past elections. The opposition party’s rejection of the report is likely to delay the election process, and it remains to be seen how the situation will be resolved.
This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
