THE National Electoral Reform Agenda (Nera) — a grouping of over 15 political parties and civil society organisations advocating for implementation of electoral reforms ahead of next year’s general elections — has ordered the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to ensure fair distribution of biometric voter registration centres countrywide.
BY SILAS NKALA
In a statement yesterday, Nera’s Bulawayo provincial organising secretary, James Sithole, said Zec should avoid situations where some constituencies would have more registration centres than others.
“We call on Zec to roll out a transparent, comprehensive and inclusive voter education exercise. It’s so shocking that Bulawayo and Harare have the least number of registration centres and this is a rigging tactic,” Sithole said.
He said civil society and political parties should be allowed to play their part in mobilising the electorate to register as potential voters.
“We call upon the Executive, and Parliament to expedite the alignment of all electoral laws with our Constitution. Zec is already behind their timelines, we thus call for timely announcement of same in consultation with stakeholders.
“The delays in announcement and complete disregard for our views as stakeholders in the awarding of the [biometric voters roll kit] tender confirm some chicanery, but we call on Zimbabweans to turn out in numbers when the [voter registration] process starts.”
