In a twist that could further dent the credibility of this year’s elections, Veritas Zimbabwe has revealed that President Emmerson Mnangagwa might have gazetted the wrong delimitation report and there is a race against time to have that rectified.
In its analysis of the final report, Veritas said the documented gazzetted by Mnangagwa fall short of declaring the names and boundaries of the wards and constituencies as prescribed in the constitution.
“Note that the President is not expected to publish the delimitation report itself; he is supposed to “declare the names and boundaries of the wards and constituencies”. In fact the President did publish the report, but he left out the most important part, the one that sets out electoral boundaries,” Veritas said.
However, the election watchdog noted that it is not too late for Mnangagwa to correct the mishap adding that any correction must be done as soon as poosible if the report is to be adopted for the 2023 general elections.
“The first error we have noted – non-publication of electoral boundaries – can be corrected quickly if the President issues a new proclamation setting out Annexure B of ZEC’s final report. Any correction must be published by the 26th February, however, if the new delimitation is to be used for the forthcoming general election (because, as we explained in yesterday’s election watch, section 161(2) of the Constitution says that a delimitation must be completed at least six months before an election to which it applies, and the next general election must be held before the 26th August),” Veritas noted.
Additionally, Veritas revealed that ZEC used the wrong formula variations in voter numbers and for this reason the delimitation is based on a wrong formula or premise, and due to these many illegal variations between wards and constituencies; “the delimitation is fatally flawed.”
“The second error, the use of the wrong formula to calculate voter variations, cannot be corrected quickly, and in fact probably cannot be corrected at all in the short time available. Unless it is corrected the delimitation is invalid, so if it cannot be corrected then, according to the Constitution, the next election will have to be held under the old 2008 delimitation,” added Veritas.
Meanwhile , eam Pachedu, a data analyst group has slammed the delimitation report saying ZEC and Mnangagwa have failed the credibiltiy test before the watershed elections.
“We would like to express our discontent with the brazen disregard of the Constitution of Zimbabwe by President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. The current delimitation exercise was expected to usher in renewed hopes for democratic elections in Zimbabwe – being based on the new 2013 Constitution.
“Unfortunately, these hopes are fast dissipating as the President and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission have marred the entire delimitation process by malicious violations of the Constitution of Zimbabwe and the Electoral Act,” said Team Pachedu in a statement.
The delimitation report has divided opinions among political circles and the civic society spaces as some accuse ZEC and President Mnangagwa of flouting the constitution in carrying out the exercise.
