Times of Eswatini

... people without IDs can register - EBC

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MBABANE – If you can prove that you are a liSwati, with or without an identity (ID) card, you are eligible to register to vote.

Mbonisi Bhembe, the Communicat­ions Officer of the EBC said people who did not have birth certificat­es of IDs could still register to vote. He said though there was a Bill aimed at changing this, currently, the law permitted anyone who was a liswati or has lived in that area to vote.

Bhembe said the law stated that the person could prove their identity if verified by a competent person, whom in this case was an umsumpe. He said for this reason, it was not a must that only a person with an ID or birth certificat­e was allowed to vote. He said it was for this reason that imisumpe were still necessary, hence their presence at registrati­on centres.

respondIng

The PRO was responding when he was asked about concerns that imisumpe were not necessary at registrati­on centres. However, Bhembe said they were necessary.

He was also asked if there were any persons who had been registered without IDs this year. Bhembe stated that he was not able to immediatel­y acquire this informatio­n.

Noteworthy, in South Africa (SA), one can only register using a temporary identity certificat­e or an ID. This is according to informatio­n sourced from the internet.

elIgIble

In the United States (US), one was eligible to register with, or without an ID depending on which State he or she lived in.

Some States allowed people to register even if they did not have documents to prove they were citizens while in others, this was not permitted. It was gathered that out of the 50 States in that country, about 15 can register voters even without document.

During his previous statements, President Donald Trump had condemned this, adding that it made it possible for people who were illegal in the country to register to vote, giving his opponents an advantage.

 ?? (Pic: Joseph Zulu) ?? Voter registrati­on in progress at Matsamo under Timphisini Inkhundla. EBC says if people can prove that they are citizens of the country, then they can register for elections without IDs.
(Pic: Joseph Zulu) Voter registrati­on in progress at Matsamo under Timphisini Inkhundla. EBC says if people can prove that they are citizens of the country, then they can register for elections without IDs.

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