MDC Claims CCC Members Fund Challenge To ZEC Delimitation Report
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) claims that members of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) are financially supporting their challenge to the ZEC delimitation report and push for a postponement of this year’s elections.
MDC leader Mwonzora filed a Constitutional Court application last month to annul the report, claiming it was flawed due to irregularities in the process of creating the new boundaries.
The court dismissed the application for lacking jurisdiction. Mwonzora is now planning another attempt to set aside the delimitation report. NewZimbabwe cites him as saying:
We have prepared our papers and today we are filing our application before the High Court seeking the same relief. We argue that a declaration must be made that the delimitation report is invalid, ZEC must be ordered to redo and that the proclamation must, by the President, follow receipt of a correct delimitation report.
Mwonzora argues that the delimitation report doesn’t consider recent census data. After Chief Justice Luke Malaba dismissed his court bid, CCC leader Nelson Chamisa criticised Mwonzora for working with ZANU PF to delay the elections. Mwonzora claimed that despite public criticism from CCC, its members supported his legal challenge. He said:
There are a number of people in CCC who were encouraging me to persist with the application to the extent of offering financial help there.
The delimitation report has caused controversy since it was released earlier this year. A ZANU PF member previously attempted to challenge it in court.
Mwonzora’s legal challenge faced criticism from some political observers who accused him of trying to avoid a vote. Mwonzora’s performance in previous by-elections has been criticized, and some predict a similar outcome in this year’s elections.
The delimitation report is significant for the upcoming elections because it determines the boundaries of constituencies and wards for the purpose of parliamentary and local government elections.
The report is produced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and is based on population data from the national census. The report impacts the distribution of seats in parliament and local councils, which in turn affects the outcome of elections.
The controversy surrounding the delimitation report stems from concerns about the accuracy and fairness of the boundaries, and the potential for gerrymandering to benefit certain political parties or groups.
