HARARE – University of Zimbabwe law lecturer Geoff Feltoe has emerged as the leading candidate from 25 applicants following interviews of prospective commissioners to the Independent Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (IZEC) by Parliament on Monday, sources said.

Feltoe, Dr Phillip Mazorodze and two members of the controversial Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) – Joyce Kazembe and Theopilus Gambe – make up the top four of the 12 candidates whose names will be forwarded to President Robert Mugabe from which he will select the final eight people.

Members of Parliament's standing rules and orders ommittee and human resources consultants had by Monday evening completed the scoring of marks.

"Geoff Feltoe emerged the winner from the 25 people who we interviewed earlier in the day," a source from the standing rules committee told ZimOnline on condition that his name was not published.

"He was followed by Joice Kazembe, and the other lady who did well during the interviews was Dr Petty Makoni. The names will be taken to the President who will elect the final eight names from the 12 that would be submitted to him. The President will also elect a chairman but not from the current list."

Another source from the interview panel also confirmed that Feltoe had come first ahead of all the candidates.

"Feltoe emerged the winner after scoring high marks during the interviews," the source said. "This time around unlike the last time when the interviews for the media commission were held, there was unanimity as to who the winner was. I doubt if they would be any hullabaloo as to who the winner is.

Some of the candidates who were interviewed on Monday were Evelyn Manyame, Yakayama Dube, Nancy Saungweme, Stan Mubonderi, Phillip Mazorodze, Eliah Njini, Susan Changawa and Naboth Chaibva. Davison Kaunokanya, Vivan Ncube and Sethimbiso Khupe did not turn up.

The five panelists were Senator Obert Gutu (MDC-T), Mutoko North Member of the House of Assembly Marble Chinomona (ZANU PF), Bulawayo East Member of the House of Assembly Thabitha Khumalo (MDC-T), Mangwe Member of the House of Assembly Edward Mkhosi (MDC) and Chiefs Council president Fortune Charumbira.

The IZEC is part of several commissions to be formed by Zimbabwe’s power-sharing government as part of a raft of reforms meant to reshape and democratise Zimbabwe’s politics.

The other commissions provided for under Constitutional Amendment Number 19 that established the power-sharing government are the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC), Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC).

Once the commissions and a new constitution are in place the government will call fresh elections with the whole process that began in February expected to last between 18 to 24 months.

Rich Western nations have refused to back the Harare government or lift visa and financial sanctions imposed on Mugabe and his inner circle seven years ago, saying they were not happy with the slow pace of political reforms

By Zimonline