ZIMBABWE ELECTION SUPPORT NETWORK ZESN BIOMETRIC VOTER REGISTRATION UPDATE - NUMBER 10 Harare – 17 November 2017 – The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) concluded phase 2 of the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) blitz on Monday 13 November 2017. Phase 3 of the blitz commenced yesterday, 16 November 2017 and was marred by a few challenges which include; destruction of registration tents by heavy rains and failure to open some of the registration centres owing to late arrival of either ZEC registration officers or equipment. ZESN observed phases 1 and 2 and continues to observe the BVR process to cover every ward under phase 3 and phase 4. Data transfer and transmission As part of its methodology ZESN deployed mobile observer teams to all the 10 Provinces to observe the data transfer and transmission processes at the conclusion of phase 2. At voter registration centres and district centres where ZESN observed closing and data transfer, the stipulated ZEC procedures were duly followed in some centres and were done in a transparent manner showing how the information was exported from the BVR kits to the USB drives. ZESN commends ZEC for availing observers the opportunity to observe and track the transfer and transmission of data as this enhances transparency and credibility in the electoral process. However, ZESN observed that in some centres for example in Bulawayo province, the data transfer from the BVR kits to the USB drives was done at the District offices instead of being done at the registration centres. There were instances where voter registration officials were reluctant to have observers track the data transmission process and these were reported in areas like Sinoia Primary School in Mashonaland West and Girls High School in Harare province among others. Turnout ZESN observed a generally low turnout during the last week of phase 2 with some centers going for 2 or 3 days without recording any registrants for example in Uzumba Ward 14 Morris Primary School did not register a single person for two consecutive days, Carlsvile Tent ward 14 in Umguza, Simanje ward 15, Buda Primary School Umguza and Manguta Tent ward 2 Tsholotsho North which registered 1 person on 12 November 2017. During the last week of the phase 2 some areas such as Mberengwa, Zvishavane, Harare, Mutasa, Nyanga, Mutasa and Masvingo experienced heavy rains which could have contributed to the low turnout observed in the final days of phase 2. However, ZESN observed long queues on the last day at some places such as Harare Girls High School, Zvishavane District Hospital and Cooksey Hall in Chinhoyi. ZEC reported that as at 13 November they had registered a total of 2,361,433. By the time of compiling this update ZEC had not yet released the official figures for registered voters under phase 2. ZESN continues to 1|Page

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