Staff Reporter

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is committed and ready to hold the 26 March by-elections and has already printed enough ballot papers.

Speaking to the media yesterday, ZEC chief executive officer, Mr Utoile Silaigwana, said the printing of ballot papers was completed for the forthcoming National Assembly and local authorities’ by-elections slated for 26 March.

“A total of 870 550 National Assembly ballot papers and 723 750 local authority ballot papers have been printed for the conducting of the by elections,” said Mr Silaigwana.

Silaigwana added that ZEC printed a contingency 6.99 percent of the National Assembly ballot papers, while a 6.71 percent contingency has been added to the ballots printed for the local authorities’ elections. The ballot papers were printed in books of 50 each.

Meanwhile, political parties are vigorously campaigning for the 28 vacant National Assembly seats and 122 vacant local authority seats. Nearly 16 political parties will battle against each other for the vacant seats.

Some of the political parties that are contesting the 26 March by-elections include ZANU PF, Citizens Coalition for Change, ZAPU, MDC Alliance, LEAD and the Zimbabwe Labour Party among other parties.

The by-elections were necessitated by the squabbles within the opposition that witnessed a number of legislators to be recalled. However, some seats fell vacant after the death of the sitting legislators and councillors.