Decentralise voter registration

VOTER mobilisation committees (VMCs) established by communities working with Heal Zimbabwe across the country have expressed concern over the centralisation of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) voter registration centres in towns and cities.

This came out during feedback meetings with the committees on January 13, 2022.

Participants noted that there were gaps in Zec's voter mobilisation drive as most voter registration centres are concentrated in towns and cities.

In Victoria Falls, Zec closed its registration centres making it difficult for VMCs to mobilise citizens to register to vote. Even when these centres were open in urban areas, the commission did not set up centres in rural areas.

Participants further highlighted that the right to vote was coming at a cost for rural people as they have to travel long distances to access registration centres in towns and cities.

”The right to vote is coming at a cost for people in Bulilima West who have to fork out R100 bus fare to access registration centres in Plumtree town.

It also came out during the feedback meetings that Zec had closed registration centres in Victoria Falls town and potential registrants were being referred to Hwange where they have to pay US$8 in transport fares. No reasons were given for the closure of the registration centres.

In Buhera South, Zec has closed a registration centre at Birchenough Bridge business centre and potential registrants are now being forced to go to Murambinda where they have to pay US$20 in transport fares.

The meetings resolved that there was need for Zec to decentralise registration centres.

Added to this, the meeting also resolved that there was need for VMCs to partner communitybased organisations operating in rural areas for maximum results.

The meetings by Heal Zimbabwe are part of efforts to empower local communities to guard against human rights abuses and help build peaceful communities.

Heal Zimbabwe utilises various strategies to address conflicts in local communities. One of these ways is the use of community dialogues, an initiative for communities to discuss and identify ways through which they can proffer solutions to problems in their communities. Such platforms also facilitate local level conversations on pertinent issues affecting communities. Heal Zimbabwe Trust