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Justice Rita Makarau

Sukoluhle Ndlovu, Midlands Bureau
The country will not hold any by-elections between now and the 2018 harmonised elections, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) chairperson Justice Rita Makarau, said yesterday.

In an interview to clarify modalities for the replacement of Kwekwe’s Ward 5 Councillor Weston Masiya (MDC-T) who died last week after a long illness, Justice Makarau, said Zec cannot hold by-elections within nine months of the national elections.

It is envisaged that by the time the voter registration exercise ends in January, it will not be more than nine months left before the national elections.

“The process (of voter registration) has started but for now we are not sure if the by-elections will be held or not, but it’s very unlikely.

“The issue is, elections cannot be held within nine months of a general election, and by the time we finish the process, it will be less than nine months to the elections,” said Justice Makarau.

President Mugabe set September 14 as the day for kick-starting Zimbabwe’s voter registration in preparation for the 2018 general elections.

In his proclamation 6 of 2017 (Statutory Instrument 109 of 2017) issued in the Government Gazette, President Mugabe said the voter registration exercise would be conducted by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission until January 15, 2018.

President Mugabe used powers vested in him as provided in Section 36A (1) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) to make the proclamation under the advice of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.

Zec is expected to conduct a new voters’ registration exercise in all wards and constituencies in the country. The forthcoming polls are set to be polling station-based.

The proclamation read in part, “ . . . Under and by virtue of the powers vested in me as President, I do, by this my proclamation . . . fix Thursday, the 14th September, 2017, as the date upon which the new registration will begin; and fix Monday the 15th of January, 2018, as the latest day upon which claims and applications for registration shall be received in all wards and constituencies.