ZEC chair presents preliminary constituency boundaries report to Mnangagwa

By Anna Chibamu

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa on Monday received the controversial preliminary report on the delimitation exercise that ended last month.

In a statement, acting chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, George Charamba, said President Mnangagwa received a copy of the Preliminary Delimitation Report from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson, Priscilla Chigumba which, according to the law should be tabled in Parliament within seven days.

“His Excellency, the President Comrade Dr. ED Mnangagwa has today received a copy of the Preliminary Delimitation Report from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) chairperson Priscilla Chigumba, at State House,” said Charamba in a statement.

“In terms of the law, His Excellency is required to cause the Report to be tabled in Parliament of Zimbabwe within seven working days from the date of presentation of the said Report.”

The report is, however, said to have caused a stir in both the ruling Zanu PF and opposition parties with affected MPs raising concerns that the exercise was not properly carried out.

Housing Minister and Zanu PF legislator Daniel Garwe recently told the media that most wards in his Murewa District were now part of Mutoko District.

Garwe said voters would be forced to move to Mutoko to cast their votes if the report is assented by the President.

Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) president Nelson Chamisa also condemned the delimitation exercise saying it was biased against his MPs.

NewZimbabwe.com recently reported that Chigumba had also faced criticism from ZEC Commissioners who had distanced themselves from the report.

The delimitation exercise is the first one after the 2013 established Constitution. The last exercise was done in 2007-2008.