Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs minister Ziyambi Ziyambi says the high nomination fees for the elections this year will not be reduced and told opposition parties to “stop wasting their time” complaining.

He said the high fees were a closed chapter because they were approved by the “majority” of Members of Parliament (MPs).

The ruling Zanu PF party has 179 MPs in the 270-member chamber, about two-thirds majority.

Ziyambi was responding to Binga North MP Prince Dubeko Sibanda (Citizens Coalition for Change) in Parliament in relation to the high nomination fees.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) in August last year increased nomination fees for presidential candidates from US$1 000 to US$20 000 per candidate.

In an Extraordinary Gazette, Zec also increased nomination fees for aspiring MPs from US$50 to US$100.

Candidates eyeing Senate and council seats will be expected to fork out US$100.

Ziyambi said opposition members were supposed to protest against the statutory instrument last year when it was published.