Story by Josephine Mugiyo, Diplomatic Correspondent
PROVINCES with high voter populations are set to get more constituencies if the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission preliminary delimitation report which was tabled before Parliament this Friday is adopted.
The preliminary delimitation report outlines the proposed number of constituencies for each province.
According to the report, the delimitation exercise used voter population data captured as of May 30, 2022, as prescribed by the country’s constitution.
The report proposes 12 constituencies for Bulawayo, whose voter population stood at 270 938, while Harare has 30 constituencies with a voter population of 952 102 in May last year.
With 738 624 voters, Manicaland province will have 26 constituencies, while Mashonaland Central with 536 463 has 18 constituencies.
Mashonaland East will have 23 constituencies and Mashonaland West 22 constituencies, as they each have voters above 600 000.
Masvingo has 26 constituencies with a voter population of 632 320 voters, with Matabeleland North province having 13 constituencies and Matabeleland South 12.
The Midlands Province has the second highest voter population with 762 928, hence it has been allocated 28 constituencies.
As at 30 May 2022, the national voter population stood at over 5,8 million, and according to ZEC, the figure was divided among the 210 constituencies to come up with voter population thresholds permissible in line with section 161(6) of the Constitution.
With the average voters per constituency standing at over 27 thousand, ZEC allowed a twenty percent variance from the national average to ensure all constituencies fall within the maximum threshold of 33 169 and a minimum threshold of 22 112 voters.
