The Herald (Zimbabwe)

ZEC eyes seven million voters

- Farirai Machivenyi­ka Senior Reporter

AT least seven million voters will be registered by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) when the biometric voter registrati­on exercise begins. ZEC’s deputy chief elections officer, Mr Utloile Silaigwana, told a media briefing yesterday that they would establish permanent voter registrati­on centres at the national headquarte­rs, provincial and district offices countrywid­e.

AT LEAST seven million voters will be registered by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) when the biometric voter registrati­on exercise begins.

ZEC’s deputy chief elections officer, Mr Utloile Silaigwana, told a media briefing yesterday that they would establish permanent voter registrati­on centres at the national headquarte­rs, provincial and district offices countrywid­e.

“The number of kits the commission has purchased has the capacity to register over seven million voters, which is far much more than the voters in the country. The duration of the exercise (voter registrati­on) would be two and a half months and we think we would be able to capture the seven million voters I have talked about,” Mr Silaigwana said.

ZEC has purchased 3 000 BVR kits and of those 2 658 would be distribute­d to provinces on a pro-rata basis while 342 would be deployed as back-up kits.

A total of 9 663 voter registrati­on centres will be establishe­d across the country.

“Publicity and awareness campaigns (on voter registrati­on) will be carried out by the commission with the help of civil society, faith-based organisati­ons and political parties. The commission is doing its best in order to enfranchis­e everyone who is eligible to vote,” he said.

Meanwhile, ZEC chairperso­n Justice Rita Makarau said they had paid half of the $7,5 million needed to procure the kits from Chinese firm Laxton Group who won the tender for the supply of the kits.

“We have paid the required 50 percent deposit to the supplier and we are now holding very serious conversati­ons with the supplier to know when they can deliver,” she said.

Justice Makarau said it was only after the delivery of the kits that they would give the actual dates on when voter registrati­on would commence.

She reiterated that for one to register as a voter they would need to produce a national identity card or valid passport, proof of residence that can be in the form of title deeds, lease agreement, letter from parents or homeowner and affidavit.

On the planned demonstrat­ion by MDC-T youths tomorrow Justice Makarau said ZEC was open to discuss any concerns political parties may have.

“We will not stand in the way of their demonstrat­ion because it is their legal right to do so. We are however, open to receive their concerns on how we can improve the distributi­on plan if they can propose ways to improve what we have proposed,” Justice Makarau said.

 ??  ?? ZEC chairperso­n Justice Rita Makarau address a media briefing while flanked by deputy chairperso­n Mr Emmanuel Magade (left) and chief elections officer Mrs Constance Chigwamba (right) in Harare yesterday. -(Picture by Innocent Makawa)
ZEC chairperso­n Justice Rita Makarau address a media briefing while flanked by deputy chairperso­n Mr Emmanuel Magade (left) and chief elections officer Mrs Constance Chigwamba (right) in Harare yesterday. -(Picture by Innocent Makawa)

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