ZEC going ahead with by-election preps, gets US$5.3 million from Treasury

Harare (New Ziana) -The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) said on Friday it is going ahead with preparations to hold by elections on 9 December despite the recalled opposition CCC legislators appealing against a High Court ruling upholding their expulsions.

The by-elections, to be held on 9 December in mostly Bulawayo constituencies, were necessitated by the recall of 14 CCC members of the National Assembly, 9 Senators, and 17 councilors by the party’s interim secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu last month.

This prompted President Emmerson Mnangagwa to proclaim the date for the by-elections in accordance with the Electoral Act which requires him to do so once notified of the vacancies by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Senate President and Local Government Minister.

ZEC spokesperson Commissioner Rodney Kiwa told New Ziana they are prepared to hold the elections after Treasury availed US$5.3 million for the exercise.

“Yes we are going ahead with our preparations because we have no instruction to the contrary,” said Kiwa.

“When I say we are prepared, I mean the totality of the whole process, the training of presiding officers, officials, ballot papers, ink infrastructure like tents, everything that is related to the holding of a successful election is ready,” said Kiwa.

The by-elections will be held in Cowdry Park, Mpopoma-Mzilikazi, Lobengula-Magwegwe, Lupane East, Nketa, Binga North, Mabvuku- Tafara and Beitbridge West, with the remaining vacancies being proportional representation seats that the CCC nominees will fill.

Kiwa said the CCC is entitled by the law to appeal against the decisions of the courts but as ZEC, they cannot wait for the verdict but go ahead with preparations.

The recalled CCC legislators appealed to the Supreme Court against the High Court ruling which upheld their recalls by Tshabangu.

In upholding the recalls, High Caourt Judge Justice Munamato Mutevedzi said the MPs had erred by excluding the party which had expelled them.

The CCC and the MPS are saying they do not know Tshabangu and the party does not have the position of interim secretary general.

Legal experts said the appeal effectively suspended the operation of the High Court ruling and also the 9 December by-elections.

Meanwhile, Kiwa said the pulling out of the European Union from funding ZEC programs does not affect its work as the government is taking care of everything.

New Ziana