Zimbabwe elections date set for July 31, 2013. President Mugabe in his capacity as head of state established the date., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Friday, 14 June 2013 00:00
Lovemore Chikova News Editor
Zimbabwe Herald
PRESIDENT Mugabe yesterday proclaimed July 31 as the date for the harmonised elections and set June 28 for the sitting of the Nomination Court to accept presidential, parliamentary and council candidates in compliance with the Constitutional Court judgement that harmonised elections be held by July 31.
He made the announcement in his capacity as President of the Republic of Zimbabwe.
Section 58 (1) of the Constitution stipulates that an election to the office of the President, a general election and elections of members of governing bodies of local authorities should be held on a day or days immediately following its dissolution.
The term of office of the President and that of Parliament expire on June 29 and the President has announced the election dates in fulfilment of the Constitution and a ruling by the Constitutional Court compelling him to hold the elections by July 31.
The date is also in line with the election roadmap set by the inclusive Government that was mainly guided by the adoption of the new Constitution.
According to Statutory Instrument 86 of 2013, a presidential run-off would be held on September 11 if no candidate manages to score 50 percent plus one vote.
President Mugabe has since written to his partners in the inclusive Government, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara informing them of the election date.
He also wrote to MDC leader Professor Welshman Ncube.
“In my capacity as President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, I hereby inform you that I have today (yesterday) issued a proclamation calling for the holding of harmonised elections and fixing 28 June 2013 as the date for the nomination of aspiring candidates and 31 July 2013 as the date for holding the polls,” said President Mugabe in the letter.
He also explained to the trio his decision to invoke the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) Act Chapter 10:20 to effect amendments that were adopted by Cabinet on Tuesday to the Electoral Act.
“Given the need to comply with the deadline for elections as imposed upon me by the Constitutional Court judgment, it became inexpedient to wait for the passage through Parliament of the Electoral Amendment Bill to align the electoral law with the new Constitution,” he said.
The Constitutional Court directed the President to hold elections by July 31 after Zaka-registered voter Mr Jealousy Mawarire filed an application compelling the President to proclaim election dates by June 29 when the tenure of the Seventh Parliament expires.
President Mugabe said in the elections date proclamation that the Nomination Court for presidential candidates will sit in the High Court’s Court A at Mapondera Building in Harare from 10am.
Candidates for the National Assembly’s 210 seats will file their nominations at the Nomination Court sitting at magistrates courts in their provincial headquarters in Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare, Bindura, Marondera, Chinhoyi, Masvingo, Gwanda and the Midlands.
Those vying for constituencies in Matabeleland North will file their nominations at the magistrates courts in Bulawayo.
Prospective councillors will file their nominations at district offices in their areas.
President Mugabe said the Provincial Assemblies of Chiefs will meet on July 12 in the country’s eight provinces covering rural areas to elect chiefs to the Council of Chiefs.
The new Council of Chiefs will then convene at Mukwati Buiding in Harare on July 19 to elect the president and the deputy president of the Council of Chiefs who become ex officio members of the Senate.
The 16 chiefs to take up seats in the Senate, according to section 120(1)(b) of the new Constitution, would be elected by electoral colleges of chiefs in each province.
President Mugabe did not set dates for senators’ nominations as they will be elected by a system of proportional representation according to the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) (Amendment of Electoral Act) Regulations 2013 gazetted yesterday.
Senate will consist of 88 members, six elected from each of the provinces by a system of proportional representation.
Chiefs will constitute 16 members, with the president and deputy president of the Council of Chiefs serving in the House.
At least eight of the Senate members would be provincial governors, with two members of the senate representing persons living with disabilities.
“Elections of senators must be conducted in accordance with the electoral law, which must ensure that the senators — are elected under a party-list system of proportional representation which is based on the votes cast for candidates representing political parties in each of the provinces in the general election for members of the National Assembly and in which male and female candidates are listed alternately, every list being headed by a female candidate,” reads the new Constitution.
Preparations for the harmonised elections are already at an advanced stage, with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the Registrar General of Voters already carrying out the mandatory intensive voter education which entered its 23rd day today.
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