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Zimbabwe’s parliament is set to break its festive period break for an emergency session that will see members debate the preliminary delimitation report to be tabled before the legislative house by the President.
The report, key to the holding of the country’s harmonised elections later this year, has not yet been seen by the both legislators and the public.
It was submitted to President Emmerson Mnangagwa by Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) chairperson Priscilla Chigumba on December 26.
“In terms of Section 110(2) (c), His Excellency, the President, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa has summoned Parliament to an Extra-Ordinary Sitting to conduct special business relating to the Preliminary Delimitation Report on Friday, 6th January, 2023 at 9:00am.
“Due to accommodation challenges still being experienced in Harare, Members are advised to attend the Sitting virtually. The log in details will be shared in due course. A few Members who will attend physically will be advised by the Chief Whips,” read the message by parliament.
Delimitation is an electoral process that is conducted after a population census and is provided for in Sections 160 and 161 of the Constitution.
It involves dividing the country into 210 geographical constituencies and wards for purposes of conducting elections..
Mnangagwa was required by law to table the report before parliament within seven days.
Within 14 days after that, the President must refer the preliminary report back to ZEC for it to consider any issue raised by himself or parliament.
ZEC must then give consideration to any issue so raised, but its decision on them is final.
However, even before the report has been seen by MPs, Zanu PF officials are reportedly demanding it should be withdrawn and the delimitation process restarted.
The last delimitation was conducted in 2008, and there were complaints then that constituency boundaries had been gerrymandered. ZimLive
