The illegality in the proclamation is not just a technicality, or of academic interest only. As we have indicated, the ward boundaries are void because of the illegality, so although the Beitbridge Municipality has six councillors there are currently no properly delimited wards for them to represent. And unless the proclamation is rectified the municipality will have no wards for the forthcoming general election so it will not be possible for any new councillors to be elected. Councillors cannot stand for non-existent wards. It is not only Beitbridge that is affected. Ever since 2013, when the Constitution came into force, wards have been created and abolished and their boundaries changed, without ZEC’s involvement. For example, Proclamation 4 of 2013 altered the wards of Makoni, Proclamation 5 of 2013 altered Rusape’s wards and Proclamation 3 of 2014 altered the wards of Gokwe South. All these new ward boundaries will have to be ratified by ZEC if there are to be valid elections for councillors to represent them. A lot of unnecessary trouble that could have been avoided if the Urban Councils Act and the Rural District Councils Act had been amended to align them with the Constitution.
The illegality in the proclamation is not just a technicality, or of academic interest only. As we have indicated, the ward boundaries are void because of the illegality, so although the Beitbridge Municipality has six councillors there are currently no properly delimited wards for them to represent. And unless the proclamation is rectified the municipality will have no wards for the forthcoming general election so it will not be possible for any new councillors to be elected. Councillors cannot stand for non-existent wards. It is not only Beitbridge that is affected. Ever since 2013, when the Constitution came into force, wards have been created and abolished and their boundaries changed, without ZEC’s involvement. For example, Proclamation 4 of 2013 altered the wards of Makoni, Proclamation 5 of 2013 altered Rusape’s wards and Proclamation 3 of 2014 altered the wards of Gokwe South. All these new ward boundaries will have to be ratified by ZEC if there are to be valid elections for councillors to represent them. A lot of unnecessary trouble that could have been avoided if the Urban Councils Act and the Rural District Councils Act had been amended to align them with the Constitution.
Election%20Watch%203-2018%20-%20Ward%20Boundaries%20-%20Presidential%20Proclamation%20Usurps%20ZEC%27s%20Function.docx