By Correspondent
Delimitation is the process of dividing the country into constituencies and wards for the purposes of elections of persons to constituency seats in the National Assembly and of councillors to local authorities.
The process is carried out in terms of sections 160 and 161 of the new Constitution.
Once every ten years, on a date or within a period fixed by the Commission to fall as soon as possible after a population census, the ZEC must delimit the electoral boundaries into which Zimbabwe is to be divided.
As carried out this year, the exercise has resulted in some fundamental changes to the structures of Councils.
Below we provide some curious numbers and facts according to the Harare Residents Trust (HRT).
Zimbabwe now has 401 Wards from the 32 urban local authorities after delimitation.
After the elections, an additional 124 women councillors will be added to the 401.
This will bring the total number of urban councillors to 525.
The female councillors will be elected through the 30 percent proportional representation.
Of the total number, directly elected councillors in urban local authorities represent only 20 percent of the total number of elected councillors in Zimbabwe.
After delimitation, the number of wards increased to 1970 from 1958 across Zimbabwe.
A total of 602 women, nationally, will be added to the local authorities as proportional representation councillors.
This will bring the total number of councillors to 2 572.
The rest of the Councillors are in rural local authorities.