ZIMBABWE ELECTION SUPPORT NETWORK
BIOMETRIC VOTER REGISTRATION UPDATE - NUMBER 8
1 November 2017 – The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) is observing Phase 2 of
the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) exercise which commenced on 29 October 2017.
Highlights of observations under Phase 1:
• Comprehensive deployment to all registration centres
• Intimidation of registrants and observers
• Inadequate voter education and mobilisation
• Challenges with services of Commissioners of Oath who were not always present at most
registration centres
• Low youth turnout nationwide
Advocacy Initiatives with ZEC
ZESN has engaged the ZEC on issues arising from the BVR process since its commencement
in early October. ZESN wrote six letters to ZEC between the 11th and the 24th of October
appreciating ZEC’s efforts in the BVR process and also bringing attention to issues of
concern noted from observation of the process. These issues include the denial of ZESN
observers into registration centres, the need to provide clarity on ZEC’s plans to counter
misinformation during the BVR process, the need to provide clarity of data transmission
procedures, the shortage of material like VR 9 forms and equipment failure at some
registration centres, reported cases of the intimidation of registrants and requests for voter
registration statistics.
The following update is based on observations by observers deployed countrywide under
Phase 2.
Phase 2 Update 1
Commissioners of Oath
During the first phase of the voter registration process, ZESN continued to observe that
Commissioners of Oaths were not present at most registration centres thus resulting in
potential registrants in need of their services returning home without registering. Having
reported the various challenges that registrants faced regarding the proof of residence
requirement, ZESN welcomes the proposal by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to
have the ZEC supervisors accorded Commissioner of Oaths status as this will help in