In preparation for the upcoming December 9 by-elections, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has confirmed that it has printed ballot papers for the local authority by-elections.
A notice issued by the electoral management body revealed that 99,150 ballot papers with a 6.6% contingency have been prepared, exceeding the number of eligible voters for the local authority by-elections, which stands at 93,016.
“It is hereby notified, in terms of section 52A (2) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13], that for purposes of the by-elections to be held on the 9 of December 2023, Printing and Minting Company of Zimbabwe Pvt (Ltd) located at No. 1 George Drive, Msasa, Harare, was given the mandate to print ballot papers to be used for the Local Authority by-elections. A total of Ninety-nine thousand one hundred and fifty (99 150) Local Authority ballot papers have been printed for the conduct of the by-elections,” stated ZEC Chief Election Officer Utloile Silaigwana.
Silaigwana further explained that a 6.6% contingency had been added to the ballots, and they were printed in books of fifty each.
In addition, ZEC has also printed 2,850 ballot papers for the Chinhoyi Ward 2 by-election scheduled for December 2.
While ZEC has publicised the successful candidates for the December 9 by-elections, the participation of recalled Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) representatives remains uncertain.
Sengezo Tshabangu, the self-proclaimed interim secretary general of the CCC, has filed an urgent High Court application seeking to have their names removed from the ballot paper.
Tshabangu, represented by Advocate Lewis Uriri, argues that the recalled members no longer hold CCC membership and should be disqualified from representing the party in the upcoming by-elections.
The High Court is yet to rule on the matter.
