THE ZIMBABWE Electoral Commission (Zec) this week closed a tender for the automated fingerprint identification system (AFIS) that will curb multiple voter registration ahead of the next year’s harmonised elections.
BY OBEY MANAYITI
This comes as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has chipped in with the provision of a server with the needed capacity to store voter registration data. The server from UNDP is expected on October 16.
Addressing the media yesterday, Zec chairperson, Rita Makarau said everything was in place for the registration blitz to start on Tuesday, although they were still waiting for the delivery of the upgraded server from UNDP and the AFIS.
“We have a consolidation server, which is already in place, so we are not tendering for that. We have a server that will host the data that will give rise to the voters’ roll and that server doesn’t have the requisite capacity that we require and the UNDP has procured the additional capacity that we need,” she said.
UNDP officials confirmed the material would arrive in the country mid this month.
Makarau also confirmed that the electoral body was yet to procure the AFIS software that is expected to clean out multiple voter registration. Tenders for the AFIS were closed this week and the State Procurement Board will announce further developments on the winner.
Makarau said voter registration would take place in four phases.
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She said voter registration would run even after the nomination court sits. “Kindly note that the voters’ roll for 2018 shall only close 12 days after the nomination court so voter registration shall continue after the blitz and even after elections have been called,” Makarau said. She gave a breakdown of the centres where people will be expected to register. She urged people to bring proof or residence and that both metal and plastic identity cards are acceptable for registration.
