Zimbabwe – Ready for Elections? 13 registering voters and updating the roll remains with constituency registrars and the RG who can alter the roll at any time.51 Further, because it lacked the capacity to keep and maintain the roll in the past, ZEC has relied and continues to heavily rely on the R-G’s office to assist it in carrying out its new responsibilities. This is a violation of the Constitution and the electoral laws by ZEC. 2.6 Voter registration and inspection of the voters’ roll Voter registration and inspection in Zimbabwe is an ongoing exercise. Before the new Constitution became operative, there was general consensus that the voters’ roll was in a shambolic state. This was confirmed by the Chairperson of ZEC as well as senior government officials such as the Vice-President.52 In mid-April 2013, the ZEC Chairperson indicated that at least 300 000 names had been removed from the voters’ roll, whilst a total of 60 000 new voters were said to have been registered.53 About 345 400 names of dead voters had also been removed from the voters’ roll.54 She further indicated that the voters’ roll was being updated regularly and the mobile voter registration exercise that was supposed to start in January 2013 was still pending due to unavailability of funds.55 2.6.1 The first mobile voter registration exercise An initial mobile voter registration was finally set for 29 April to 19 May 2013 56. It was undermined by lack of adequate funds and subsequent late disbursement of funds, which were only availed on 7 May. Details of how many people were registered and how many had been removed in this exercise were not easily available to the public. 2.6.2 The “special and intensive” mobile voter registration and inspection exercise In terms of the transitional provisions of the new Constitution that came into effect on 22 May, for the purpose of the first elections – being the 2013 harmonised elections – the R-G continues to be mandated to carry out voter registration and compile the voters’ roll under the supervision of ZEC.57 This is despite provisions in the Constitution for this function to be wholly ascribed to ZEC. The current R-G has repeatedly been accused of 51 Section 35 of the Zimbabwe Electoral Act, this provision was not amended although the RG has proved inefficient in implementing voter registration and has disfranchised many voter through misinterpreting citizenship laws despite the guidance of the court. As a result most citizens by birth with parents born outside the country have been arbitrarily removed from the voter’s roll as they are required to renounce citizenship by descent even if they have not taken any positive steps to acquire it. 52 V Langa “VP finds only 9 on the voters roll” Newsday (23 May 2013) p 3. 53 K Bwititi “Over 300 000 off voters roll” The Sunday Mail (14 April 2013) p 1. 54 As above. 55 Note 61 above. 56 “US 4m released for voter registration” The Herald (7 May 2013) p 2; “Government rolls out national voter registration exercise” The Herald (30 April 2013) p 1. 57 Section 6(2) of Part 3 of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.