ZEC Enrolls 352 Local And Foreign Observers For March By Elections

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has accredited 352 local and foreign observers for the up coming March 26 by-elections.

Speaking during a workshop with the Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs on the level of preparedness for the elections, ZEC’s chief elections officer Mr Utloile Silaigwana said of the 352 observers accredited as at February 28, 342 were local with the rest being foreign diplomats from local embassies.

The ZEC chief elections officer also told the committee that 76 661 new registrants had been registered while 50 486 had transferred during the registration blitz held last month.

“The figures are, however, low despite the publicity campaigns carried out by the commission,” he said.

Mr Silaigwana said a second registration blitz would be held next month and would run concurrently with a similar campaign by the Registrar-General’s Office for people to obtain national identity documents.

He added that the commission is still investigating the issue surrounding the national voters roll that was allegedly furnished without following proper procedures

“The commission is still investigating the circumstances under which an alleged national voters’ roll was issued to the said party and which alleged copy we presume is the subject of the damaging allegations which are being flighted on social media.

“The commission still insists that the copy that was furnished to the said party was released without following normal administrative procedure and undergoing the proper procedure aimed at ensuring that all its information is up to date and correct as at the date of issue,” he said.

Different political parties have braced for the much awaited by elections, holding campaigns in different cities.

ZEC chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba condemned political violence saying perpetrators should be held accountable in terms of the law, following the violent incident that occurred at Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) rally in Kwekwe where one man died and many injured.