BREAKING: ZEC to appoint Silaigwana as new chief elections officer

Retired soldier, Utoile Silaigwana, will soon be unveiled as the new substantive Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC) chief elections officer following the interviews which were held on March 15 2019, the Zim Morning Post can exclusively reveal.

Sources close to the development told this publication that Silaigwana passed the interviews after scoring an average of 78,89% from a 9-member panel.

The Panel comprised of Zec chairperson Justice Priscila Makanyara Chigumba, Deputy Chairperson Emmanuel Magade, Qhubani Moyo, Joyce Kazembe, Daniel John Chigaru, Sibongile Ndlovu, Netsai Mushonga, Faith Sebata, Ngoni Kundidzora.

Documents gleaned by this publication reveal that Silaigwana got a 63% from Chigumba, Magade gave him 80 %, Kazembe (87%), Chigaru (87%), Ndlovu (86%), Kundidzora (78%), Sebata (77%), Mushonga (62%) while Moyo awarded him 90%.

In the run up to the 2018 elections ZEC was underfire by the civic society as well as the opposition political parties after Silaigwana was appointed acting chief elections officer.

Silaigwana is a former member of the Defence Forces and this has been the issue with the opposition which has been calling for the demilitarization of ZEC.

Silaigwana was part of the ZEC secretariat which oversaw the running of the disputed elections which led to the formation of the inclusive government.

Silaigwana and  the ZEC secretariat will be expected to run the 2023 voter registration and the Harmonised elections.

Other candidates who contested include Bangajena Benjamin, Benhura Abigail,Chiyangwa Benjamin, Goneso Stephen, Machona Jairos, Mangwiro Robert and Nyamanhare Eurita.