RELATIVES of deceased people with names still appearing on the voters’ roll can have the names removed upon presentation of proof of death, an official with the Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC) has said.
REPORT BY PHILLIP CHIDAVAENZI SENIOR REPORTER
ZEC commissioner voters’ roll , who was speaking at a consultative workshop for political parties in Harare on Friday, said there was heated debate over the removal of dead voters’ names from the roll, which prompted them to come up with that decision.
On the new Electoral Amendment Act, which replaced the old Electoral Commission Act, Feltoe said relatives of the dead had to furnish the commission with credible proof of death before the names could be struck off.
“Usually, we would look at the death certificate or at least the burial order. If people don’t go through the process, how do we identify the dead?” Feltoe queried.
Feltoe said a relative or a chief in the rural areas could make a sworn statement to confirm the death of a registered voter.
Although the country has had a continuous roll which was updated time and again, the new law now provided for compilation of a new voters’ roll ahead of elections.
“Provisions in this legislation allow for the roll to be compiled on a new basis. The President can order new registration. The names of those on the old roll will be transferred to the new roll. Voters have to go and confirm (if their names appear on the new roll),” he said.
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The roll, he said, was a public document which candidates and voters should have easy access to and for which copies could be printed for them at a nominal fee.
“Political parties, observers and candidates can access an electronic version of the roll for free as this is less expensive than printing,” Feltoe said.
