By Sifiso Ngwenya
In a government gazette announcement on Wednesday, President Emmerson Mnangagwa revealed that the country will conduct general elections on August 23, 2023.
The President also stipulated June 21 as the date for the nomination court, where prospective candidates can register their candidacy.
In the notice, Mnangagwa said he had fixed “the 23rd day of August, 2023, as the day of the election to the office of President, the election of members of the National Assembly and election of councillors, that is to say, as the day on which a poll shall be taken if a poll becomes necessary in terms of section 46(17)(c) or 125(4)(b) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13] for the election to the office of President or any such members of the National Assembly or councillors;”
To ensure a fair electoral process, President Mnangagwa established October 2 as the runoff election date, in case no presidential candidate secures an outright victory with 50 percent plus one vote.
“And fix the 2nd day of October, 2023, as the day of the runoff election to the office of President, that is to say as the day on which a poll shall be taken if such a poll becomes necessary in terms of section 38(1)(a)(iii) of the Electoral Act;” read the notice
The publication of this proclamation in a government gazette paves the way for an exciting electoral contest.
President Mnangagwa will compete against his long-standing rival, Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), in the presidential poll.
Meanwhile, the Citizens Coalition for Change is in the final stages of selecting candidates who will represent the party in the upcoming elections.
On the other hand, the Movement for Democratic Change, led by Douglas Mwonzora, is questioning the legality of the recently published delimitation report.
