Section 9
Section 9 of the regulations
replaces section 14 of the draft
regulations. The provision sets out
the information to be contained in
the voters’ roll in respect of every
voter.
In some respects Section 9 improves on the previous section 14 of the draft regulations. It
incorporates some of the recommendations suggested by ZESN. Firstly the requirement of a
photograph as a distinctive feature has now been added as recommended by ZESN. Secondly the
provision on objection of registration of a voter that was contained in section 13(2) that ZESN
had questioned has now been removed.
However in some respects the regulations have ignored some of the recommendations and
taken a step back. The recommendation to add the middle name of the voter has been ignored.
The provision for noting any disability of a voter, where relevant, which was entrenched in
section 13(1) (c) has been removed. ZESN calls upon ZEC to rectify these provisions as they are
clearly retrogressive.
Section 10
Section 11
The section provides for the
inspection of the voters’ roll by the
public at the Commission`s offices
as well as the establishment of the
mobile centres for inspection of
the voters` roll. The section
regurgitates what was section 14
of the draft regulations
The Commission ignored the two specific recommendations that were made by ZESN.
Firstly ZESN called upon the Commission to make provisions for the use of technologically
advanced methods to access the voters’ roll such as online access. Secondly ZESN
recommended that the then Section 14(2) that mirrors section 10(2) of the regulations
be couched in more peremptory language instead of the current language that suggests
the use of mobile inspection centres as optional.
The recommendations are therefore repeated and should be reconsidered in the
regulations.
This section deals with the process This provision is progressive to the extent it ensures that an official voters’ roll that will
of certification of the voters’ roll be used for an election is certified as such before the actual election. Interested parties
by the Chief Elections Officer
would be able to know the voters’ roll upon which the election will be based upon.
However, of concern is the sharp departure of the provisions of these regulations from
what was set out in sections 20 and 21 of the draft regulations. The draft regulations
contained specific progressive provisions that placed an obligation on the CEO to deal
with removal of duplications and also clean the voters’ roll of persons that may have
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