The President reinstates Priscilla Chigumba.  President Emmerson Mnangagwa has chosen to extend the term of Justice Priscilla Chigumba as the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) for an additional six years, starting from February 1.

This decision has been announced by the government, despite the controversy surrounding Chigumba’s leadership during the 2023 elections, which faced allegations of irregularities and mismanagement from the opposition and regional observers.

According to the chief secretary to the president and cabinet, Martin Rushwaya, this reappointment is permitted under Section 238(5) of the constitution, which allows the president to extend the term of the ZEC chairperson once. Chigumba, who previously served as a High Court judge, has a law degree from the United Kingdom and has held various legal positions before joining the judiciary.

The ZEC is responsible for overseeing elections and referendums in Zimbabwe and consists of a chairperson and eight other members appointed by the president from nominations provided by a parliamentary committee.