Alien registration
While aliens turned out to register as voters, a significant number were turned away as they
did not have long birth certificates. At the Mabvuku-Tafara registration centre, an average of
20 people was turned away per day, the majority of whom were elderly aliens without long
birth certificates.
Recruitment of ZEC personnel
Throughout the registration exercise ZESN observers reported numerous challenges with
registration officials that were seconded to ZEC from other government departments. It
appeared that this category of ZEC officials were the least cooperative to observers’
requests when they were asked for basic information, erroneously citing the Official Secrecy
Act at every turn.
The Government should consider expanding the range of persons that can be seconded to
ZEC during peak electoral periods. Students at Universities and other tertiary colleges ought
to be considered as their aptitude with regards to interfacing with new technologies is
generally higher than that of the older generations. In addition, allowances for students are
likely to be considerably lower than those of staff from government departments thereby
reducing the cost of elections considerably. The saving could be channeled towards
expanding the number of registration centers in the future and used in electoral operations,
among other things. In this regard, a cue can be taken from countries such as Kenya that
have conducted successful mass mobile voter registration using students.
Voters’ Roll inspection
Beyond the static and mobile static centers that ZEC will open for the purposes of voters’
roll inspection, there is need for the Commission to consider other inexpensive but effective
ways of facilitating the inspection of the voters’ roll. Android applications and a secure
portal on the internet may help increase access to this process by those who would have
registered. In addition, an SMS facility could also be used as is the case in South Africa and
Uganda so as to reach out to more people, particularly those who may not have access to
the internet.
Recommendations:
1. The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission should investigate cases of the
recording of voter registration slips’ serial numbers by political actors which has
become rampant in most areas. In addition official pronouncements by the
Commission denouncing this practice may help deter this practice and inform
registration that they are not obligated to comply with such requests which are
extra-legal.
2. The Government should consider expanding the range of persons that can be
seconded to ZEC during peak electoral periods. Students at Universities and other
tertiary colleges ought to be considered.