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.

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