4.2 Contemporary Context of the 2017-18 BVR Process Implementation The BVR process was inaugurated amidst a highly dynamic political environment characterized by intense political competition around the succession question in the ruling party ZANU-PF, and massive contestations in the opposition around the need for an opposition alliance. These internal political party dynamics were in addition to uncertainties around when precisely the 2018 election would occur, the legal and procedural regime under which the poll would be conducted, and whom the key players in that election would be. The political context was so dramatic and fluid that by the time of the BVR processes conclusion: 1.) President Robert Mugabe who launched the BVR process vacated office on 21 November 2017, leading to the swearing in of President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, on 24 November 2017. The new President is a former Vice President and Minister of Justice until he was relieved of his duties on 8 November 2017. In the same month the military intervened staffing a move on November 13 2017 leading to the resignation of President Mugabe and Mnangagwa’s ascension to the state Presidency, who would appoint a new government on the 29 November 2017. 2.) The ZEC chairperson at the start of the Process Justice Rita Makarau resigned as chair on 7 December 2017, leaving ZEC deputy chair Mr. Emmanuel Magade as acting chair. This development was adjudged to have severe and direct ramifications of the electoral process, leading ZESN to encourage the government to expedite appointment of the Chair in-line with section 238 of the constitution.24 3.) Zimbabweans of foreign descent, labeled "Aliens" in the Registration system, and who hitherto could not vote or be registered as voters and were being turned away at the beginning of the BVR process, were granted voting rights by the Courts. This was after Sarah Kachingwe labbled an Alien, the MDC-T and MDC-N petitioned the High Court of Zimbabwe seeking an order to compel ZEC to register aliens as prospective voters for the 2018 general elections during the ongoing BVR exercise. On 30 November 2017, High Court Judge Justice Nyaradzo MunangatiManongwa issued an order granting aliens the right to register to vote with the proviso that they produce for registration their "Alien" endorsed Identity documents together with a birth certificate and Proof of residence. Aside from this high political drama and the new national political dispensation, the BVR exercise also marked a new Voter Registration dispensation with the ZEC taking over full control of Voter Registration from the Registrar General’s office, for the first time since independence, and introducing Biometrics The shifts in voter registration responsibilities, and the introduction of biometrics, which were well received by various election stakeholders on account of past challenges with the RGs handling of registration and the voters’ roll, also entailed the production of a new/fresh voters’ roll. In this sense, 24 ZESN, Press Release, 12 December 2017, Call To Expeditiously Appoint New ZEC Chairperson Key To Successful Implementation Of Electoral Processes. Harare. Zimbabwe. 16