Zwnews Correspondent: Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has proclaimed election dates for this year’s harmonised election through Statutory Instrument 83 of 2018.
In his proclamation, the President said Thursday 14 June, 2018 will be the nomination day, where nominations of candidates for election are to be processed by nominal courts presided over by officials to be appointed by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
The elections day is on Monday 30 July, 2018.
Meanwhile, former cabinet Minister and Generation 40 (G40) mastermind Jonathan Moyo says Mnangagwa’s proclamation of elections has been done unprocedural. Writing on his twitter blog, Moyo who is in exile says closing voter registrations two days after election proclamation was undemocratic.
“It is unfortunate that voters’ registration will close two days after the election proclamation. Previously, it closed 12v days after the sitting of the Nomination Court, this enabled new voters to register after knowing the contesting parties and candidates,” said Moyo in a tweet.
Meanwhile, political commentator, Elder Mabhunu concurs with Moyo that the move was undemocratic and meant to lock out new voters from getting a chance to exercise their democratic rights.
“This is part of vote rigging, ZANU PF has recently been collecting figures about voters believed to be their supporters. That collection of voter slips from their members was a form of database compilation. They are satisfied with the numbers and therefore they have closed up chances for new voters.
“ZANU PF which has been aggressive in voter education on its members has done its homework, the ruling party is sure that these new voters would not be its supporters so they closed out all late comers,” says Mabhunu.
This follows the announcement by the ZEC that voter registration will end on Friday 1 June 2018.
Addressing a press conference in Harare yesterday, ZEC Chairperson Priscilla Chigumba indicated that all those who register after that date, will only vote in the 2023 elections and not in the 2018 polls.
