Zimbabwe – Ready for Elections? 65 nomination papers were never rejected and they had used the wrong procedure by filing an urgent application and not an appeal. Joshua Matope Matope appealed against the rejection of his nomination papers for the elections of Ward 21 Councillor in Mutoko South. His nomination papers had been rejected on the basis that he was under age. In terms of section 119(1)(b) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13], the minimum age qualification for a councilor is twenty-one (21) years. Joshua Matope was born on 21 November 1992 and was only turning 21 on 21 November 2013. In the circumstances, as at the time of the sitting of the nomination court he was still below the required age. The appeal was accordingly dismissed with costs on 5 July 2013. MDC-T Appealed against the acceptance of nomination papers for six candidates using their party logo and emblem yet they were not representing the MDC-T but were standing as independent candidates. The application was opposed by ZEC who insisted that there was no proper Appellant as required by Section 46(19)(b) of the Electoral Act. The matter was withdrawn Cecelia Dube Dube appealed against the rejection of her nomination papers to stand as a candidate for Ward 3 in Mberengwa East, Midlands on the basis that she had brought a short form birth certificate instead of the long one. The appeal was successful. She however failed to re-submit her nomination papers within the new time frame given and the ballot papers were printed without her name. Marimo Foster Foster appealed against the rejection of his nomination papers on the basis that he had brought a short form birth certificate instead of the long one. He had filed to stand as a candidate for the Maramba Pfungwe ward 7 Council elections. His appeal was upheld. Christopher Chigwande Chigwande appealed against the rejection of his nomination papers on the basis that his birth certificate was not certified as a true copy of the original. He had filed to stand as a candidate for the Mt Darwin East ward 12 Council elections. His appeal was upheld but he did not re-submit his nomination papers within the new time frame given and ballot papers proceeded to be printed without his name. Beauty Manyika Manyika appealed against the rejection of her nomination papers for Mt Darwin West ward 35 council elections on the basis that the name on the birth certificate differed from the ID in spite of furnishing her marriage certificate. This appeal was struck off the roll as it was filed out of time.