GWERU — Mberengwa South constituency was collapsed resulting in the creation of Mkoba North
constituency as Midlands province maintained the 28 constituencies but emerged with the highest
number of wards in the country.
Midlands with 14 local authorities has 762 928 registered voters – 23 426 voters more than the 2007
total. It now has the highest number of wards 296 out of the country’s 1 970 wards. The province
adult population stands at 937 253.
According to the draft Delimitation Report presented in parliament for debate last week,
Mberengwa South constituency was replaced by the creation of a new Mkoba North constituency.
Mberengwa district has now been left with three constituencies namely Mberengwa East,
Mberengwa West and Mberengwa Central.
Mberengwa Central constituency has 26 171 registered voters and is made up of Wards 2, 9, 10, 15,
16, 17, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 35, and 37 of Mberengwa Rural District Council. Mberengwa East
constituency has 27 562 registered voters and consists of Wards 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and
23. Mberengwa West constituency has 25 068 registered voters. It is made up of wards 1, 11, 12, 13,
14, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 and 36.
The new Mkoba North constituency has 28 043 registered voters. It consists of Wards 11, 13, 14, 15,
16 and 17 of Gweru Municipality.
Mkoba South constituency has 29 390 registered voters and is made up of Wards 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and
12. Gweru Urban constituency has 29 431 registered voters. It consists of Wards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 18.
According to the Delimitation Report, Torwood (Zibagwe RDC) and Woodlands (Vungu RDC) were
converted from commercial farms to peri-urban areas.
“In general, no voters were moved from their polling stations. Registered voters in each ward and
constituency will vote at their usual polling stations although their ward number or name of
constituency may have changed,” read part of the report.
The last delimitation was conducted in 2007/8 and resulted in the drawing of 210 House of Assembly
Constituencies, 60 Senatorial Constituencies and 1 958 local authority wards. The delimited electoral
boundaries remained in use during the 2008, 2013 and 2018 harmonised elections.
However, due to population dynamics and changes in land use since the last delimitation exercise,
there has been growing need for constituencies and wards to be redrawn to respond these changes.
The voters’ roll for delimitation closed on 30 May 2022 and as at that date, the country had 5 804
376 registered voters compared to 5 612 464 registered voters in 2007/8.