ZIMBABWE ELECTION SUPPORT NETWORK
BIOMETRIC VOTER REGISTRATION UPDATE - NUMBER 18
02 February 2018 –As part of its oversight role on electoral processes, ZESN continues to
closely observe the ongoing Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) Mop-up exercise. This
update is based on reports from ZESN’s mobile and static observers who have been
deployed at selected mop up, district and provincial registration centres countrywide.
Intimidation of registrants
ZESN continues to receive reports countrywide of an elaborate system of intimidation of
voter registrants by members of the ruling party (ZANU-PF) and traditional leaders who are
coercing registrants to bring their serial numbers which are added to the party’s cell, ward,
village and district databases. Registrants are misinformed that the party is capable of
establishing how the registrants would have voted in 2018, in addition ZESN has received
reports that those who fail to present their registration slips have been warned that they
will not be allowed to access food aid, basic social services and in some instances village
heads have threatened to evict them from their villages if they do not comply with these
requests. In addition to reports from ZESN observers, there are videos circulating on social
media which show an individual, who is not a ZEC employee, recording serial numbers of
registrants.
Figure 1: A sample of the form which is reportedly used to record serial numbers of registrants
ZESN and other civil society organizations continue to bring these violations to the attention
of ZEC and the Human Rights Commission. ZESN commends the ZEC for issuing public
responses to these violations, and encourages the Commission to also communicate the
same issues using radio, television and social media platforms.
Turnout
As of 1 February 2018, ZEC indicated that they have registered 5,186,331 people since the
commencement of the voter registration exercise. On the other hand 306,849 people have
been registered during the mop up voter registration exercise alone.