Zimbabwe – Ready for Elections? 11 provisional polling stations, locations of polling stations, and details of nominated candidates have been published in different print media such as the Daily News, Newsday and The Herald, and have also been published in the government gazette.42 It has also sought to promote transparency by inviting observers to observe certain processes such as the processing of applications for the Special Vote. During voter registration, ZEC also kept the public informed about the different services that those who wanted to register could obtain.43 However fulfillment of this role may have been undermined by limitations in capacity to widely disseminate information outside the capital city, down to community level, and even to people living with different disabilities such as the blind and the deaf. There appears not to have been any translation of the material into the many vernacular languages that are used in Zimbabwe. Other issues undermining this role will be discussed in following sections. One grave concern that remains is the practice of ZEC outsourcing some of its functions such as the registration of voters, updating, inspection and custody of the voters’ roll to the Registrar-General (R-G) of Voters. The R-G has been accused of all sorts of violations in the past which cumulatively inhibited citizens from exercising their right to vote or participate in electoral processes. The R-G, Tobaiwa Tonneth Mudede, is unresponsive to calls for transparency and adherence to the law and established processes, and his officials have been blamed of exhibiting high levels of corruption. Parliament has in the past reined him in by summoning him to give evidence to the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Home Affairs over voter registration44 as well as other issues. There are extensive court orders against him relating to his failure to register voters, allow inspection of the voters’ roll, amongst other issues. Electoral amendments in 2012 sought to remove him from these processes and also to remove responsibility and custody for the voters’ roll. Provisions have been inserted into the Act and the Constitution to keep him away from these processes. However, transitional provisions in the new Constitution have seen him remain a key player for these specific elections, and this should raise alarm bells, particularly in light of the number of concerns that have been raised relating to a shambolic voter registration and inspection exercise carried out after the new Constitution came into effect. 2.4.2.1 Institutional and individual independence Independence of the ZEC stands on two pillars, namely institutional and individual independence. Individual independence relates to the ability of the individual not to be influenced by external forces and maintain a high degree of neutrality and lack of partisanship. Institutional independence reflects the broader commitment of the Commission not to be unduly influenced by arms of government in the exercise of its 42 See lists of candidates who were nominated printed in Newsday on 12 July 2013, lists of polling station for Harmonized elections disseminated in Newsday on 10 July 2013. 43 See ZEC insert in the Daily News of 9 June 2013. 44 C Zvauya “Mudede summoned over voter registration” Daily News (7 June 2013) p 3.