Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC)has come under fire over its recently published delimitation preliminary report with a group named Councillors for Economic Development demanding a redo of the exercise.

The ZEC delimitation preliminary report revealed that some rural districts which are the strongholds of Zanu-PF will be lost to some peri-urban and growth points.

Opposition parties command a religious following in urban areas and growth points.

Councillors for Economic Development which backs the ruling party accused ZEC of not carrying out proper consultations in the delimitation process.

“Our focus cannot be divorced from activities that affect those communities, including the delimitation of electoral boundaries,” said Rodgers Nhari, the organisation’s chairman

“The recently released preliminary report by ZEC is a great cause for concern to us as it is lacking in many ways. These include lack of consultation of stakeholders including us councillors.

“We, therefore, call upon ZEC to revise this report and come up with a more consultative process that will inform a comprehensive report which will be usable for the progress of our nation.”

The delimitation was informed by the national housing and population census that was held in April in preparation for next year’s general elections.

ZEC it will be done with subdividing of the electoral boundaries prior to the 2023 election by year end.

The electoral body has held consultations with concerned stakeholders with suspected Zanu-PF youths disrupting some meetings leading them to be abandoned in some areas.

Nhari said the preliminary should not be adopted calling for it to be wholly discarded

“The report is too shallow to the extent that one wonders the criteria that was used to compile it,” he said.

“As councillors, we hold the view that a delimitation report should never disregard the census report which gives proper demographics to enable delimitation to take place. If adopted, this report will erode our belief system within the wards.”