By Staff Writer
By -elections prompted by the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) ‘self-imposed’ secretary general ,Sengezo Tshbangu will drain the fiscus of a whooping US$11 million by the end of next month.
Figures released by the Zimbabwe Elections Commission (ZEC) shows that the first set of elections conducted on December 9 2023 gobbled US$5 million with the expected February 3 by elections expected to gobble US$6 million.
“The ZEC has earmarked an amount of approximately US$6 million for the upcoming by-elections. Slated to take place on February 3, 2024, the by-elections are a necessary step to fill six vacancies in the National Assembly and 28 local authority wards,” a recent update from the polls organ has established.
The positions in the National Assembly became vacant after the removal of MPs Amos Chibaya, Tapfumanei Madzimbamuto, Stephen Chatiza, Admore Chivero, Oliver Mutasa, and Gift Ostallos Siziba.
The controversial removals were part of a questionable political shake-up whih left a significant gap in the representation of the people in these areas.
Voter education officers are due to be trained between January 17-19, with their deployment and a mobile voter education program to follow shortly after. Further, electoral officer training will take place from January 20-31.
In a related development, Chief Justice Luke Malaba has appointed 23 magistrates to oversee cases of politically motivated violence in line with the Electoral Act.
