An aspiring Senator for people living with disabilities has expressed concern at the manner in which nominations for the two representatives in the Upper House of Assembly are being done.
BY OUR STAFF
Henry Chivhanga of the Disability Amalgamated Community Trust (Dact) said, while it had been announced that elections for the two representatives would be held on August 2, the process leading to the poll was shrouded in secrecy.
He said the selection and composition of the Electoral College was not clear amid fears that candidates affiliated to political parties would prevail on the day.
“Information about the process leading to the elections is not being made public. It is not clear how the Electoral College composed of up to 30 organisations will vote for candidates who they do not know,” said Chivhanga. “This is why there is suspicion that elections will be rigged.” He said the Electoral Act stipulated that all registered organisations for people with disability were eligible to participate in the Electoral College.
But Chivhanga said some Trusts organisations such as Dact were being denied that opportunity in favour of only those registered as Private Voluntary Organisations.
“I have been tossed from one office to the other, including the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, the Attorney General’s office and the Department of Social Welfare, but all of them failed to adequately explain what is going on,” he said.
According to the Electoral Act, people constituting the Electoral College should be living with disabilities and half of the delegates must be women. The people must be registered voters, while four of the nominees should be chosen by the national disability board.
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ZEC chairperson, Rita Makarau could not be reached for comment yesterday.
But recently she met representatives of people with disabilities and disclosed that elections for the two senators would be conducted within an electoral college, that shall be constituted in a fashion provided for in the Electoral Act.
