Zimpapers Logo

Farirai Machivenyika

Senior Reporter

THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has managed to fulfil its constitutional mandate despite facing challenging electoral tasks in 2022 and last year, chief elections officer Mr Utloile Silaigwana has said.

In a 2023 ZEC annual report recently tabled in Parliament, Mr Silaigwana said the year 2023 would go down as the most hectic in the history of ZEC. 

“This is due to the fact that the commission was faced with the requirement of discharging two equally challenging electoral tasks in terms of the Constitution over a period of two years, that is, 2022 and 2023,” he said. 

“During the prior year, and up to the first quarter of 2023, the Commission was preoccupied with the mandate of delimiting electoral boundaries following the conduct of a population census in line with provisions of section 161 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. 

“In 2023, the commission was again called upon in terms of section 239 to conduct the harmonised elections. Notwithstanding this fact, I am pleased to announce the fact that the commission was equal to the tasks at hand as these were discharged in line with its constitutional mandate.”

Mr Silaigwana expressed ZEC’s sincere gratitude to all stakeholders who assisted to ensure the successful completion of these important tasks. 

“The commission also wishes to express its profound gratitude to the State for availing the necessary resources which enabled the Commission to fulfil its mandate. 

“It is my sincere hope and belief that this trend shall continue in the future, as has been always, and as the commission continues to deal with issues arising from its mandate. 

“I also wish to take this opportunity to assure the nation of the commission’s commitment to the upholding of its constitutional values and principles,” Mr Silaigwana said.

ZEC was allocated $896 billion last year to support electoral processes of which $664 billion (74 percent) was released while the body had a full compliment of nine commissioners and met six times in line with provisions of the law. 

In her foreword, ZEC chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba said the organisation also participated in international forums.

“With regards to international engagements, the ZEC participated at different fora which included election observation in the DRC, ECF SADC 25th Annual General Conference held in South Africa as well as various other meetings related to that body. 

“The commission also participated in staff development courses on election management and conflict resolution in Russia, Japan and South Africa. 

“The commission expresses its profound gratitude to the Government of Zimbabwe and other stakeholders for all the support rendered during the year under review,” she said.