By- Potential CCC voters in today’s by-elections say they are confused after the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) withdrew ballot papers in eight constituencies that were affected by a ruling by High Court judge Justice Never Katiyo, who nullified the nomination of recalled Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC) candidates.
Justice Katiyo Thursday granted the party’s self-declared interim Secretary General Sengezo Tshabangu an application to bar recalled CCC candidates from participating in the upcoming by-elections.
CCC’s deputy spokesman Gift Siziba on Thursday said that the party had appealed against the decision by Justice Katiyo at the Supreme Court.
In a statement, ZEC Chief Elections Officer, Utoile Silaigwana said that they are going to reprint ballots for Binga North, Lupane East, Cowdray Park, Bulawayo South, Lobengula-Magwegwe, Beitbridge West, Nketa, Mpopoma-Mzilikazi constituencies in compliance with the court order.
The recalled CCC representatives who were affected by the recent ruling by Justice Katiyo are:
- Sibanda Dubeko Prince
- Moyo Bright Vanya
- Nkomo Veliswe
- Toffa Jasmine
- Mlilo Stabile
- Sibanda Pashor Raphael
- Watson Nicola Jane
- Gono Ereck
- Zana Evidence Sunungurai
- Ncube Morgan
- Manduna Obert
- Dube Janeth
- Makaza Desmond
- Shoko Gideon
- Sibanda Tendai
- Moyo Anastasia
- Gabuzza Joel
- Chimhini David
- Ncube Siphiwe
- Sibanda Felix
- Zivira Helen
- Madzikana Mativenga
The CCC candidates who were nominated for the direct first-past-the-post elections are:
Sibanda Dubeko Prince (Binga North), Moyo Bright Vanya Lupane East (Cowdray Park), Watson Nicola Jane (Bulawayo South), Gono Ereck (Lobengula-Magwegwe), Ncube Morgan (Beitbridge West), Manduna Obert (Nketa), Makaza Desmond (Mpopoma-Mzilikazi).
Silaigwana said the named individuals will not have their names appearing on the ballot paper in the Saturday by-elections. He said:
Consequently, the said persons are not candidates for the by-elections on 9 December 2023. In terms of the court order, the Commission has been ordered not to include the names of the said persons in the preparation of ballot papers to be used in the by-elections.
The Commission is thus withdrawing all ballot papers that had been printed and distributed to the respective Constituencies and will reprint and redistribute ballots that are in compliance with the court order.
Kindly note that this will not affect the number of ballots to be printed and the number remains as notified in the notice published on 27 November 2023. The printer remains Printing and Minting Company.