Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has extended voting in the general elections to Thursday, 24 August, at polling stations that failed to open on time on Wednesday.
Polling had been gazetted to take place from 7 AM to 7 PM on 23 August but a number of polling stations opened after midday after the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) failed to deliver ballot papers.
Below is the statement by President Mnangagwa:
HIS EXCELLENCY THE HONOURABLE EMMERSON DAMBUDZO MNANGAGWA G.C.Z.M. President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces of Zimbabwe.
WHEREAS, in terms of proclamation 4 of 2023, published in statutory instrument 85 of 2023 the 23rd of August was fixed as the date of the election to the office of President, the election of members of the National Assembly and election of councillors, that is to say, as the day on which a poll shall be taken if a poll becomes necessary in terms of section 46(17)(c) or 125(4)(b) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13] for the election to the office of President or any such members of the National Assembly or councillors;
AND WHEREAS it has been ascertained that certain polling stations for the wards specified in the schedule to this proclamation have not opened in the time specified in section 53(1) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13];
AND WHEREAS, Section 53(1) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13] provides that if for good cause shown it is not possible to open a polling station at 7:00 am then the polling station shall be opened at such later time but will be kept open for at least twelve (12) hours continuously on polling day:
AND WHEREAS it has been noted that for some polling stations in he wards specified in the schedule to the proclamation this period will overlap into a day that is not a polling day:
AND WHEREAS section 38(4) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13] gives the President power. by further proclamation in the Gazette to alter any day, time or place fixed in terms of subsection (1) or (3) of section 38 and the day, time or place as so altered shall be deemed to have been fixed in terms of the appropriate subsection of section;
NOW THEREFORE, under and by virtue of the powers vested in the President as aforesaid, I do, by this proclamation in respect of the affected polling stations for the wards listed in the schedule to this Proclamation fix the 24 of August 2023 as the last day of polling for the election to the office of President, the election of members of the National Assembly and election of councillors.
Given under my hand and the Public Seal of Zimbabwe at Harare, this 23 day of August, in the year of Our Lord two thousand and twenty-three.
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