By Vumani Mthiyane
About 80 people have so far registered as voters in Matabeleland South with officials raising concerns the province risks having fewer constituencies and wards when the delimitation exercise is completed.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) resumed voter registration exercise on April 1.
The delimitation process involves coming up with a minimum threshold of registered voters to make the country’s 210 National Assembly constituencies and is conducted using the number of registered voters in an administrative jurisdiction
In Matabeleland South, only four of the 13 constituencies meet the minimum threshold plus or minus 20 percent of 26 308 voters per constituency.
Speaking to CITE, Provincial Elections Officer (PEO) Rabson Nyoni said only 82 people have registered so far.
“Very few people are tricking in, our offices are not busy yet,” said Nyoni.
“If the members of the public come to register in large numbers the target can be achieved, especially if people respond to the national exercise. During the anticipated voter registration exercise we will open registration centres at the ward level and operate within the communities. By so doing the uptake will improve as people will not incur any travelling costs.”
Nyoni urged potential voters to take advantage of the current window to register as voters.
“Statistics of registered voters in Mat South are shocking. I, therefore, urge everyone who is eligible to vote to come and register since our offices are open. People must not wait for the last minute rush,” he said adding that diaspora based Zimbabweans must come and have their names in the voters roll regardless of them taking part in the real election.”
Currently, Beitbridge East constituency has 34 733 registered voters, Gwanda Central 27 592, UMzingwane 25 473 and Insiza North 25 858.
If the remaining constituencies fail to meet the threshold chances of them being merging are very high.
Bulilima East and West could be merged as they currently have 17 977 and 15 966 voters respectively while Matobo South and North have 15 824 and 19 103 voters respectively.
Mangwe has 18 486 voters, Insiza South 14 664 voters, Gwanda South 15 523 voters, North 16 173 and Beitbridge West has 16 427 voters.
