(PF) supporters. The grant of the postal vote to the military provides additional room for electoral manipulation. The military is seen as being comprised of predominantly ZANU (PF) supporters. Their postal vote was apparently taken without any observation or independent monitoring of the process14. It is unclear how the votes will be allocated to constituencies, leaving room for the Registrar-General to allocate a large number of votes favourable to ZANU (PF) where he deems they are needed. Zimbabwe is out of step with the region with respect to postal voting. In the recent elections in Mozambique, Mozambicans living outside Mozambique who were registered to vote were able to vote at polling stations at the Mozambique embassy in Harare and at a polling station in Mutare.15 It should also be noted that in the first election following the end of apartheid in South Africa, the many South Africans who had been forced into exile and had not yet been able to return home, were allowed to vote by post. One explanation given by the Government for the restriction on postal voting is that, owing to the travel ban imposed on senior ZANU (PF) officials by the EU, ZANU (PF) would not be able to campaign in Britain. It was not explained how this ratio applies to those in South Africa. c)Registration of Voters The Registrar-General has responsibility for registering voters and for setting practical criteria for the implementation of registration. The process of voter registration must be fairly carried out so that all eligible voters who wish to register are given a reasonable opportunity to do so. The SADC Protocol requires non-discrimination in voter registration.16 In each election, there have been numerous allegations of discrimination in the registration of voters. Registration for all elections in Zimbabwe has been conducted by the incumbent Registrar-General, Tobaiwa Mudede. While registration of voters in rural areas and ZANU (PF) strongholds has been facilitated and expedited, numerous obstacles have been placed in the path of urban voters seeking to register17. The impending election is no different in that, once again, allegations have been made that the registration of voters has continued in areas where ZANU (PF) has support well after the announced closing date for registration. In contrast, in urban areas registration requires the See www.allafrica.com Zimbabwe Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo) 4 December 2004 16 Paragraph 4.1.3. Similarly the Principles of the Electoral Commission Forum of SADC Countries provide that “the voter registration process should promote broad participation and should not inhibit the participation of eligible voters.” 17 An Israeli Company was tasked with the computerization of the voters’ roll in 1999. It was simultaneously tasked with computerizing ZANU (PF) ‘s membership base. Suspicions arose that inclusion in the latter automatically entailed inclusion in the former – see Angela Cheater Special Report 1 for the Human Rights NGO Forum Human rights Research Unit January 2001 p.21. 14 15 8