Fidelity Printers and Refiners (FPR), the Zimbabwe central bank’s refinery which also focuses on printing and minting, has emerged as the printer of the ballot papers to be used in the 2023 harmonised general elections to be held on Wednesday next week.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) released this information on Friday after it was taken to court by the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) who argued that it was not proper for the plebiscite to be held without closure on who and where the ballot papers were printed.
ZEC said there are 7,126,600 presidential ballots, 7,098,750 parliamentary and 6,854,250 for the local authority.
“IT is hereby notified, in terms of section 52A(2) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:11], that for purposes of the 2023 Harmonised Elections to be held on the 27% of August 2023 (a) Minting and Printing Company of Zimbabwe (MPCZ) located at Number 1. George Drive. Msasa, Harare, was given the mandate to print all ballot papers to be used for the 2023 Harmonised Elections,” read the memo by ZEC.
b) a total of seven million one hundred and twenty-six thousand, six hundred (7 126 600) presidential ballot papers seven million and ninety-eight thousand, seven hundred and fifty (7 098 750) National Assembly ballot papers and (i) six million eight hundred and sixty-one thousand six hundred and and fifty (6 863 650) local authority ballot papers have been printed for the conduct of elections on the 23 of August 2023 the number of ballot papers allocated to each province for distribution to pelling stations in that province are as specified in the schedule.
“(d) the Commission calculated a 3% contingency for each polling station as specified in the sixth column.
ZEC said the ballot papers were printed in books of fifty each hence the total of actual ballot papers printed specified in the seventh column.
“(e) The number of ballot papers printed for each of the three elections is different because: (1) with respect to the National Assembly election an independent candidate for Gutu West National Assembly constituency passed away and the election will be conducted on a later date; (1) with respect to the local authority election no election will be held in 91 wards because the candidates for those wards were returned unopposed while 4 candidates passed away and the ward elections will be conducted on a later date.”
The election management body has published list of 12,374 polling stations distributed as follows; Bulawayo – 434, Harare – 1,559, Manicaland – 1,623, Mashonaland Central – 1,107, Mashonaland East – 1,420, Mashonaland West – 1,507, Masvingo – 1,416, Matabeleland North – 920, Matabeleland South – 721, Midlands – 1,667.
Zimbabweans will choose their next leaders on the 23rd of August next week. International observers have since trooped into the country to monitor the whole process of voting.
