1 zimbabwe election support network [zesn] - Nehanda Radio

constituencies. A change to ward-specific voters’ roll meant that that a voter can only vote in
the ward in which he or she is resident and registered to vote.
Besides these structural problems, the delimitation exercise suffered many implementation
snags. Voter registration and inspections were conducted before the finalization of the
delimitation exercise. Insufficient time was given for people to make inputs into the delimitation
process. While the preliminary delimitation report was tabled in parliament for noting on 17
January 2008, only one copy of the Delimitation report was made available to parliamentarians
in the papers office of parliament. The final Delimitation Report was tabled in Parliament very
late in the electoral process, leaving ZEC little time to educate the public on changes to ward
and constituency [House of Assembly and Senate] boundaries. Delays in the delimitation of
boundaries [wards and constituencies] also created confusion for the nomination processes
within political parties, in some cases forcing re-runs of some primaries. Contrary to Section
61A [8] of the Constitution, Parliament is entitled to debate the report and make
recommendations for changes to the setting of constituency boundaries. By end of January
2008, the President had not published the final constituency boundaries as required by the
Constitution and the Electoral Act.
Several legal issues flowed from this defective process. The nomination date was set 15 days
after the date of the proclamation setting the date of the elections as 29 March 2008 contrary to
the Electoral Act which requires that the nomination date must not be less than 14 days and not
more than 21 days after the proclamation. The object of fixing a minimum period between the
proclamation and the nomination day is to give political parties an opportunity to decide who
should represent them in each constituency since they can only do so if they know where the
constituencies are going to be. At the time of the proclamation, political parties were not given
adequate opportunity to see the preliminary report, a development that made a mockery of the
nomination process. It also makes a mockery of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Act which
requires the Commission to keep the public informed about constituencies and other election
boundaries. The electorate had not been given any of this vital information prior to the
inspection period. Only at inspection centers was one able to access information pertaining to
the ward and constituency. In future, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission which is now
responsible for delimiting constituencies and other electoral boundaries must be obliged to give
public notice before embarking on a delimitation exercise and “so far as is practicable within
the time available” entertain representations from political parties and other interested parties
who are likely to be affected by its decisions.
Nomination Processes
The Electoral Law provides for nomination procedures at presidential, parliamentary and local
authority level. A candidate for election to the office of President must submit a nomination
paper signed by not fewer than ten persons who are registered on the voters’ rolls for
constituencies within each province. The form specifies a distinctive symbol which the
candidate wishes to appear on the ballot paper in conjunction with his or her name; and if the
candidate is to stand or to be sponsored by any political party, specify that fact, together with
the name of the political party and an abbreviation of such name which the candidate wishes to
appear on the ballot paper.
In the case of election to Parliament a parliamentary candidate, must submit a nomination
paper signed by not fewer than ten people who are registered on the voters roll for the
constituency for which the candidate seeks election. For local election candidates, aspiring
councillors must be endorsed by at least five people whose names appear on the voters roll for
the ward concerned. In all elections, nomination papers may be lodged with the Commission at
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