What Parliament Ad Hoc Committee said about delimitation report- full report

(d) Descriptions refer to topographic features that are not reflective on the map – while Section 161 (12) of the Constitution provides that, ‘If there is a discrepancy between the description of the boundaries of any ward or constituency and the map or maps prepared by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, the description prevails.’ ZEC provided descriptions that referred to topographic features that were not indicated on the map, making it difficult to relate their descriptions with the physical features on the ground. For example, an excerpt of the description of Bulawayo Province, ward 8 says ‘In an area of land bounded by a line drawn from the intersection of Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Railway line and an unnamed stream at stand 32577 Entumbane Township (Entabeni Primary School) so as to exclude it …’ Without the topographic features on the map, the Committee’s analysis was limited to such descriptions.

A specific issue arises on how an ordinary citizen, reading such a description from Harare, would identify a railway line, an unnamed street, stand 32577 of Entumbane Township in Bulawayo when they have never been to such a place unless if three conditions were satisfied, that is, if such topographic features are presented on the map, if an ordinary coordinate system based on degrees, minutes and seconds allows them to obtain coordinates that can be used on Google Maps, and if the map scale is indicated on the map.

ZEC indicated that it produced thematic maps which relate to its function but for effective analysis, the thematic maps should be used in conjunction with topographic, hydrological and population maps. They however did not include the topographic features to avoid clutter on the maps. However, the Committee is aware of the overlaying of maps that do not create clutter as there are options for design and colour to make every feature easily visible on the maps. Annexure 2 to the Report clearly illustrates the previous ideal map which is more detailed than the ones produced by ZEC.

(e) Population Density Map

Section 161 (6) (c) (f) asserts that in delimiting, ZEC must give due consideration to (c), the geographical distribution of registered voters and (f) its population. As part of its maps or descriptions, ZEC did not provide information about population density and distribution making it difficult to relate population figures, their distribution and how they affected specific boundary or polling station decisions. ZEC provided information that pointed to the fact that they considered preliminary results from the Census in analysing the relationship between population and registered voters.

(f) Descriptions Refer to Polling Stations that are Not Indicated on the Map

The Committee found it important to compute average walking distances between polling stations, particularly in remote areas where there have been reports of long walking distances to the polling stations. Roads are a means of communication, and section 161(6) (b) provides that ZEC must give due consideration to the means of communication within an area. The descriptions provided by ZEC in its report refer to polling stations that are not indicated on the map. For example, in ward 1 of Binga North Constituency, in Binga RDC, ZEC argues in its report that there are eight polling stations, but only one is indicated on the map. There are many more examples that relate to this scenario.

Even though section 161 (12) provides for the supremacy of the description over the maps, insufficiently labeled polling stations make it difficult for any analysis to compute average walking distances within the buffer zones of polling stations. Walking distances are a means of communication, and ZEC also did not describe the physical features that affected the setting up of polling stations in certain areas with plateaus, national parks, or dams, etc. ZEC explained that polling stations were uniquely identified by using a polling station code system.

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