- Mwonzora challenged the delimitation report as unconstitutional
- However, the challenge was nullified by the high court
- This means, elections will proceed without hindrance, as planned
Harare- Zimbabwe’s harmonised elections set for 2023 will proceed after the High Court nullified Douglas Mwonzora’s bid to nullify the delimitation report released by ZEC in February this year.
Delimitation is a process of dividing the country into constituencies and wards for national elections, National Assembly, or ward elections to choose councillors.
Elections were going to be postponed to a further date if Mwonzora’s appeal was uphold. The appeal was to force ZEC to redo another report, nullify the current, and submit it to President Mnangagwa for approval.
Mwonzora challenged the report on conditions that it did not take into account the final results of the population and its failure to provide names and boundaries of the wards and constituencies as required by the Constitution. Also, the delimitation has anomalies ranging above 20%.
Mwonzora used section 161 of the constitution which demands the delimitation report to have equal numbers of voters by using a correct formula during delimitation with anomalies of 20% less. That is, no constituency should have more than 20 000 voters while others have fewer.
The report was initially challenged by the main opposition, Citizens Coalition for Change and Zimbabwe Democratic Institute.
However, Chief Justice Luke Malaba argued that as a presidential candidate, Mwonzora is not hurt by constituency boundaries and queried why the MDC-T leader had not submitted affidavits from potential candidates who would have been prejudiced by the delimitation.
Mwonzora rebuked the ruling as unconstitutional and political. He further rebuked other opposition parties for letting him down.
With the latest ruling, elections will proceed as planned and, the nation just awaits the announcement of the date by the President.
Equity Axis News
