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By Elvis Dumba
Harare – The government has given a nod to the amendment of the electoral law.
The cabinet received and approved the Electoral Amendment Bill 2022 as presented by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi during a cabinet meeting.
The bill seeks among other things, to provide a timeframe when a candidate can withdraw from contesting in a national assembly or local authority elections.
“The Bill seeks to amend the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13] to provide for, among others a timeframe within which the National Assembly and Local Authority candidates can withdraw from contesting in an election,” he said.
“Once the Electoral Amendment Bill; 2022 is enacted into law, it will assist in ensuring that only citizens are able to vote in an election; that proper candidates are allowed to contest in an election; providing clarity on when and how a candidate can withdraw their candidature in an election so as to afford ZEC sufficient time to make changes to the design of the ballot, and advising the electorate of any changes to the candidature in an election”.
The law change is expected to also allow the activation of the women and youth quota system.
“The law will lead to the incorporation of the 30% women quota as well as the youth quota and amendment of the definition of proof of identity. In terms of the constitution of Zimbabwe, one has to be a citizen in order to qualify as a voter. Accordingly, only the valid Passport or National Identity Card will be required as proof of identity.”
Currently, there is no law that stipulates when a candidate can withdraw from an election. In the past, some contesting individuals would withdraw from the race on the eve of an election with their name still on the ballot paper when they will be no longer participating.