14 Electoral system and processes manipulating the voters’ roll58and related electoral processes in order to favour ZANU PF. During the constitution-making process, the R-G attended the deliberations and participated in activities as a ZANU PF delegate.59 This does not instil confidence in his impartiality and professionalism. The new Constitution provides that a “special and intensive mobile voter registration and inspection exercise” be carried out under the supervision of ZEC for at least 30 days after publication of the Constitution.60 This exercise was conducted by the R-G and officials from his office. ZEC was confined to “overseeing” the exercise but had no meaningful input into, or scrutiny of, the process. The involvement of the R-G in voter registration violates the SADC Guidelines that provide that the SADC governments must facilitate an enabling and transparent system of voter registration. The process suffered from a lack of publicity, and reports abounded of people who had no idea that the exercise was even going on. ZEC failed to accredit observers for this exercise and there was no independent oversight of the process and its challenges. Challenges arose due to the inclusion of the opportunity for individuals to obtain other documents during this exercise, including national identity documents. It is common cause that Zimbabweans have struggled in the past to obtain identity documents and this opportunity added strain to the system as some were attending registration centres merely to obtain such documents and not to register as voters. Reports of police and army personnel being bussed to registration centres and jumping the queues were also rife and contributed to barriers to registration and inspection by ordinary citizens, who were pushed to the back of the queue. First-time voters and lodgers also experienced insurmountable hurdles at registration centres due to their inability to provide proof of residence, which the R-G was requiring before registering people on the voters’ roll. ZEC had to intervene and provide an affidavit template which was subsequently used to overcome this obstacle. The new Constitution further guarantees the political rights of every Zimbabwean. Although ZEC was said to be consulting stakeholders and working on modalities to ensure that 17 000 prisoners vote, there has been no update on progress on this issue.61As a result, all these prisoners were not registered and will not be able to vote on 31 July, in contravention of the new Constitution. These provisions clearly depart from the obligation to ensure non-discrimination in voter registration as enunciated in the SADC Principles.62 58 59 60 61 62 J Makumbe “Zimbabwe’s highjacked elections” Journal of Democracy Vol 13 no.4 (2002) p 96. E Mushava “Mudede exposed … registers as ZANU PF delegate” Newsday (22 October 2012) p 1. Section 6(3) of Part 3 of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. “Prisoners set to vote in polls” The Sunday Mail (9 June 2013) p 2. This clearly violates the rights of the accused; this exclusion violates provisions of ACHPR as everyone is entitled to participate in the government of the day; Principle 2.1.1 of SADC Principles; Part IV of OAU Declaration; Guideline 4.1.3 of the SADC Principles.