ZEC To Appoint Utoile Silaigwana As New Chief Elections Officer

Zim Morning Post reports Utoile Silaigwana is set to be appointed as the new substantive Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC) chief elections officer. This comes after interviews held on March 15 2019.

Sources close to the development told Zim Morning Post that Silaigwana passed the interviews after scoring an average of 78,89% from a 9-member panel. The Panel comprised of Zec chairperson Justice Priscila Makanyara Chigumba, Deputy Chairperson Emmanuel Magade, Qhubani Moyo, Joyce Kazembe, Daniel John Chigaru, Sibongile Ndlovu, Netsai Mushonga, Faith Sebata, Ngoni Kundidzora. Documents seen by Zim Morning Post reveal that Silaigwana scored a 63% from Chigumba, Magade gave him 80 %, Kazembe (87%), Chigaru (87%), Ndlovu (86%), Kundidzora (78%), Sebata (77%), Mushonga (62%) while Moyo awarded him 90%.

In the run up to the 2018 elections, Silaigwana was appointed acting chief elections officer. Silaigwana is a former member of the Defence Forces and this has been the issue with the opposition which has been calling for the demilitarization of ZEC. He was part of the ZEC secretariat which oversaw the running of the 2013  elections which led to the formation of the inclusive government.