Think-tank Zimbabwe Democracy Institute (ZDI) says the newly gazetted 2023 Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) delimitation report will serve the ruling Zanu PF interests and ensure that the ruling party maintains its two-thirds majority in Parliament.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa gazetted the delimitation report on Monday which has been criticised for not including new delimitation boundaries to be used in the upcoming polls that are yet to be proclaimed.
In its paper titled Zec Delimitation Report, a Zanu PF two-thirds Majority Scheme, ZDI said there was no justification to adopt the framework which it viewed as a scheme of the ruling party.
"The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) final delimitation report gazetted by President Mnangagwa on the 20th of February 2023 can best be understood as a Zanu PF scheme for maintaining a two-thirds majority in Parliament.
"Three observations in the Zec’s final delimitation report corroborate this argument. First is that Zec deliberately applies 2007/8 total seats per province as its basis in coming up with the 2023 framework for allocating constituencies, and sticks to its erroneous application of section 161(6). There is no justifiable reason for adopting this framework other than the desire to avoid loss of constituencies from Zanu PF stronghold provinces needed to secure a two-thirds majority in Parliament,” read the ZDI report.
"Second is that, Zec disregarded adult population dynamics per province presented in the 2022 census when it allocated constituencies per province. If it was used, seven seats were going to be transferred from Zanu PF stronghold provinces to the opposition stronghold provinces.”
ZDI said the Zec delimitation report disregarded the voter proportions per province.
“Third is that, Zec disregarded registered voter proportions per province in the total national voter population in coming up with its constituency allocation framework. If they were used as basis for allocating constituencies per province, three constituencies were going to be transferred from Zanu PF stronghold provinces to opposition stronghold provinces. The purpose of delimitation is to ensure proportional representation,” ZDI said.
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ZDI said the Zec delimitation report violated the constitutional demands for adherence to the census population dynamics and national values of equal representation in conducting boundary delimitation.
Zanu PF party spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa yesterday said his party was happy with the gazetted delimitation report and was already preparing for the polls.
“We are happy that the delimitation report has been gazetted. Zanu PF is now preparing for elections because they are imminent,” Mutsvangwa said.
Legislative watchdog Veritas has also criticised the delimitation report saying it is based on some provisions of the Lancaster House Constitution rather than provisions of the current Constitution.
“This renders the whole process invalid and unconstitutional,” Veritas said in its report scrutinising the delimitation report.
