6.1 Qualifications for Registration According to Schedule 4to the Constitution, a person may register as a voter if they are 18 years or over and a Zimbabwean citizen. The Constitution allows for additional requirements to be added by electoral law but these must be consistent with Section 67 of the Constitution which guarantees every citizen the right to participate in electoral processes. According to Section 23 of the Electoral Act, for a person to be registered as a voter in a constituency, they must be resident in that constituency unless they intend to run as an MP for a constituency in which they are not resident. The Act further states that the Commission may prescribe documents that shall constitute proof of residence. In line with the Act, Section 5 of the regulations set out the documents that would suffice as proof of address. While the ZEC tried to be extensive in stating what constitutes proof of residence, it was still argued that this requirement was prejudicial to some who were unable to attain any of the said documents. Many raised the issue that it was cumbersome and discouraged some from registering to vote.24 In urban areas, the registration processes was negatively affected by the shortage of affidavits and commissioner of oaths. Traditional leaders were the primary source of letters that supported registrants’ proof of residence in rural areas. 6.2 The Right to Vote Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states that:  Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives;  Everyone has the right to equal access to public service in his country;  The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures. Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) provides that every citizen shall have the right and the opportunity without unreasonable restrictions:   24 to take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely chosen representatives; and to vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot, guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the electorate. Available https://www.herald.co.zw/residents-say-no-to-proof-of-residence-for-bvr/ 33 | P a g e