ZEC cancels the Chitungwiza Ward 24 by-election which was scheduled to take place on the 26th of January following ERC’s recommendations to postpone the by-election due to a not conducive environment for the delivery of a free and fair election.
ERC pleaded with ZEC to cancel the upcoming by-election following a wave of protesting citizens and deployment of armed security personnel which characterized the political environment. The current political environment in the country makes it impossible to hold a credible, free and fair election in accordance with the constitutional and international principles of democracy.
In the long term, the ERC suggests the parking of all by-elections until all necessary and collectively agreed reforms, administrative and legislative, have been instituted to the full satisfaction of all election stakeholders.
Source: Election Resource Centre (ERC)