Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN)
Biometric Voter Registration Update Number 3
28 September 2017 – The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) continues to
observe the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) exercise at the 63 District centers
established by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC). Observations made over the past
seven days regarding this BVR process as detailed below:
Efficiency of the Registration Processes:
ZESN notes that there are improvements in some areas in the efficiency of registering voters
as the ZEC registration officers become more accustomed to operating the BVR kits. In
Mutare for instance, the time spent processing the registration of voters significantly
declined as more ZEC officials were involved in the process. ZESN observed that as
compared to last week, more registration officials were deployed specifically for handing
out registration and affidavit forms to potential registrants and an assigned official signing
affidavit forms. It was also noted that the presence of the District Elections Officer who is
also involved in the training of voter registration and education officials, also contributed to
the smooth running of the registration process. The presence of the Commissioner of Oaths
at all times, at all registration centers is vital to help expedite the registration process.
In Harare, some registrants spent up to two hours waiting for the return of the
Commissioner of Oaths and some returned home without registering to vote. ZESN calls
upon ZEC to ensure that every registration centre has a permanent commissioner of oaths
to assist citizens without proof of residence documents to avoid them being turned away. In
addition, some centres are reported to have run out of Voter Registration VR1 forms
resulting in scores of people being asked to submit themselves for registration on the
following day.
Turnout:
ZESN notes that the turnout at most of the District centres where observers visited is
generally low with the exception of the registration centre in Mbare Remembrance, Harare
where significant queues continue to be observed with an average of 120 people being
registered on a daily basis.