The election season is heating up in Zimbabwe, but some opposition political parties say they are struggling to finalize their candidate lists ahead of the June 22 deadline for nominations.
While Zanu-PF confirmed its candidates more than 2 months ago, other parties are still working on selecting contenders for parliamentary and local government seats.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa proclaimed August 23 as election day, officially starting the campaign period. However, some opposition parties are questioning the timing due to pending court cases over electoral boundaries.
The MDC Alliance says it will field candidates for all positions, including Douglas Mwonzora for president. Mwonzora said they intend to publish their final candidate lists before June 21st. ZAPU and the CCC coalition also plan to contest the elections, though some details remain unclear.
Some analysts say the opposition appears unprepared, noting that parties should finalize candidate selection at least 18 months before an election. Citizens have yet to learn who will represent most opposition parties in key races.
While ZEC has pledged to administer free and fair elections, the CCC wants electoral authorities to address issues identified during the voter inspection period. Political tensions are low for now but parties are racing to prepare their candidates and campaigns for the important August vote.
