Democratic Union of Zimbabwe (DUZ) President Robert Chapman, has attributed the outcome of the delimitation report to lawmakers’ lack of urgency in safe guarding the electorates interests.
Chapman who introduced DUZ to the political scene during a press conference in Harare late last year and made his intentions of running for president in the 2023 elections clear.
The sentiments come after Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), politicians and legislators have criticized the preliminary delimitation report submitted to President Emmerson Mnangagwa in December last year and tabled in parliament early January.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission which carried out the delimitation exercise and produced the preliminary delimitation report received recommendations from parliament last week.
According to section 161 subsection 9 of the constitution, while the report can be referred back to ZEC for further consideration, the commissions decision is final.
Here’s Why Chapman Blames Lawmakers.
In a response to an inquiry made by Open Parly ZW, the DUZ president said, although the delimitation report exposed numerous problems in regards to the redrawing of electoral boundaries, he insists that legislators failed to guard against the challenges bedeviling the entire exercise.
“The results of the delimitation report are equally unconstitutional and unethical.
“However, my concern and challenges are far deeper than the report itself.
“The result of the report highlights several key cultural and positional issues in the overall review around what’s best for the Zimbabwean people.
“At note, we would have to step back and look at quality decisions of elected officials and the procrastination of progressive actions required to have prevented this outcome just months before the elections.
“ZEC is where it is with its designated leadership because of failure to contest, challenge and provide viable strong solutions in parliament for the interest of the Zimbabwean people,” he said.
Self Interest
Additionally, Chapman maintains that lawmakers from across the political divide are criticizing the delimitation report not for the sake of representing the voters but rather for their own survival.
“The noise experienced now is not to serve the people of Zimbabwe but to protect self-interest by those who stand to lose territorial sovereignty within their respective constituencies,” Chapman said.
The likelihood that some legislators will seek reelection in the upcoming elections has been negatively impacted by the redrawing of electoral boundaries, which resulted in several wards being shifted to other constituencies. Thereby, altering the voting base that elected them into office 2018.
However, Chapman intends to defend the electoral process and offer his best effort in the upcoming elections within the revised boundaries.
“As a contesting candidate partnered with other candidates both in constituency and council, we will contest aggressively within the resulted “New” borders while working hard to protect the voting process before, during and after the casting of votes,” he said.
