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President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday proclaimed  July 30, 2018 as the date for the country’s harmonised elections with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) saying voter registration for the polls closes  tomorrow.

The proclamation was published in the Government Gazette published yesterday morning.

President Mnangagwa said if none of the presidential candidates’ garner 50 percent plus one vote, the country will hold a run-off election on Saturday September 8.

“As the day on which a poll shall be taken if a poll becomes necessary in terms of section 46(17) (c) or 125(4)(b) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13] for the election to the office of President or any such members of the National Assembly or councillors; and fix Saturday the 8th day of September, 2018, as the day of the runoff election to the office of President that is to say as the day on which a poll shall be taken (Should there be no clear winner with 50 percent plus one vote,” reads the Government Gazette.

President Mnangagwa said the Nomination Court will sit on June 14.

He said his announcement of the election date was in compliance with the constitutional provisions stipulating that the country should hold national polls after every five years.

“Whereas by section 143(1) of the Constitution, Parliament is elected for a five year term which runs from the date on which the President-elect is sworn in and assumes office in terms of section 94(1)(a) of the Constitution,” he said.

“And whereas, after the last election, the President was sworn in on 22nd day of August 2013, and the five year period ends on the 21st day of August 2018.”

Zanu-PF resoundingly won the 2013 elections with its Presidential candidate and now former President Mr Robert Mugabe, who resigned in November last year, being sworn in on August 22 2013.

President Mnangagwa said the elections should be held 30 days before the expiry of the five year term.

In a statement posted on his Facebook and Twitter accounts, the President called for calm saying the polls should not divide the nation.

“I am delighted to proclaim July 30 as the date for the 2018 harmonised elections. These elections will be free, fair and transparent, and the voice of the people will be heard,” he said.

“I call on all candidates to conduct their campaigns peacefully and to focus on the issues that really matter. Above all, let us remember that what unites us as Zimbabweans is far greater than anything that could ever divide us.”

He also said the Nomination Court shall sit on June14 at 10 o’clock  in the morning at Mapondera Building, Court A in Harare to receive nomination for the presidential election candidates.

The President also said the boundaries for provinces, constituencies and wards used in the 2013 harmonised elections would be used in the elections.

For the 210 National Assembly elections, the nomination courts will also sit on the same day at various centres across the country’s 10 provinces.

In Bulawayo the nomination court will sit at Magistrates’ Court, Court 5, Tredgold, in Harare the court will sit at Magistrates’ Court, Rotten Row, in Manicaland the court will sit at Magistrates’ Court, Main Street, Mutare in Mashonaland Central, Magistrates’ Court, Main Street, Bindura, Mashonaland East, the nomination court will sit at Magistrates’ Court, Ruzawi Road, Marondera and in Mashonaland West the court will sit at Magistrates’ Court, Garrard Drive Chinhoyi.

For Masvingo province, the nomination court will sit at Magistrates Court in Masvingo, for Matabeleland North the court will sit at the Magistrates’ Court at Western Commonage while Matabeleland South the court will sit at Magistrates Court in Gwanda and in Midlands it will sit at the Magistrates Court in Gweru.

The nomination courts will also sit at various rural and urban council offices across the country on June 14 beginning at 10 am.

The nomination courts for party-list candidates to the Senate, National Assembly and provincial Councils will also sit at the venues and times as for the 210 National Assembly candidates.

President Mnangagwa also fixed July 11, as the day provincial assemblies of chiefs will gather at various centres across 8 provinces excluding Harare and Bulawayo, to elect members of the Council of Chiefs.

With the exception of Manicaland, which will elect five chiefs, all the other provinces will elect four chiefs each.

The elected chiefs will then meet on July, 18 at Mukwati Building in Harare to elect the President of the Council of Chiefs and the Deputy President who shall be ex officio Senators.

On August 1, the eight provincial assemblies of chiefs will convene again to elect two chiefs each to be Senators representing the particular province.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission gazetted the new voters’ roll produced following the biometric voter registration exercise. ZEC chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba made the announcement under General Notice 370B of 2018 in the Extraordinary Gazette published on Monday.

“It is hereby notified, in terms of Section 36A (2) of the Electoral Act that ZEC has fixed the date of publication of this notice (May 29) on which the voters’ roll produced as a result of the conduct of the new registration ordered by the President under Proclamation 109 of 2017, shall be the definitive voters’ roll on the basis of which the continuous registration of voters in terms of section 17A shall be conducted,” Justice Chigumba  said.

In a statement, Zec said, President’s proclamation comes after the amendment of the Electoral Act, marking the start of the election season. Zec said the election date announcement will allow the commission to properly spell its road map.

The electoral body said unregistered voters have up to tomorrow (Friday) to register or risk not participating in this year’s elections.

“Amendment of Section 26A of the Electoral Act, registration of voters now close two (2) days after proclamation. It therefore means that the registration of voters for the purposes of the 2018 Harmonised elections shall close on 1 June 2018. However, those that are going to register after the cut-off date will be considered for future elections,” read the statement.

It said the Electoral Act amendment empowers Zec to establish additional polling stations in areas with larger populations for the convenience of the electorate. Zec said the Act empowers the blind to choose persons to assist them to vote.

The electoral commission said the Electoral Act encompasses a Code of Conduct that binds various interested players during the election period.

“In terms of its content, it covers among others, issues of public conduct, politically motivated violence and intimidation, other prohibited conduct and the expected conduct during polling and announcement of results,” reads the statement.

Zec said Electoral Act amendments allow the electoral body not to delete names of late withdrawals by the contesting candidates as they are a financial strain to the commission.

@nqotshili