Divisions At ZEC Worry POLAD
The Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) says the credibility of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC)’s delimitation report has been affected by apparent division within the commission itself.
Seven ZEC commissioners refused to append their signatures to the report after claiming that it violated the constitution.
The seven commissioners accused ZEC chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba of not consulting them.
POLAD’s governance and legislative agenda chairperson Lovemore Madhuku said there should be clear evidence that all commissioners are involved at every stage of the process. Said Madhuku:
The preliminary delimitation report doesn’t pass the test set out in the constitution. POLAD regards it as a failure on the part of ZEC.
POLAD is concerned about the internal governance of ZEC. Under our constitution, ZEC is a corporate body consisting of nine commissioners.
The delimitation process cannot be the work of one or two commissioners; there must be clear evidence that all commissioners are involved at every stage of the process.
This is essential for the integrity and credibility of ZEC. POLAD would like to see public appearances of ZEC commissioners at all platforms where ZEC is either presenting to, or receiving from, the president reports relating to the delimitation process.
ZEC must use all the remaining stages to demonstrate in public the involvement of all commissioners.
Chigumba is reportedly relying on the ZEC secretariat to finalise the delimitation report as the seven commissioners remain frozen out.
The seven commissioners are Rosewita Murutare, Kudzai Shava, Jane Mbetu-Nzvenga, Shepherd Manhivi, Abigail Mohadi, Jasper Mangwana, and Catherine Mpofu. | The Standard
