Updated: Uproar As British Embassy Gets Voters Roll, Advises Locals To Be Patient, Pushy

Amid complaints from various aspiring candidates that they are failing to access the voters’ roll from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec), the British Embassy in Zimbabwe revealed that it has received an electronic copy of the voters’ roll today. The British Embassy advised people to be patient and to be pushy as well in order to get the roll which Zec chairperson Priscilla Chigumba said was available last Friday. Writing on their social media site, Twitter, The British Embassy said,

.@UKinZimbabwe team was able to obtain a searchable copy – in Excel format – of the voters’ roll from @ZECZim offices in Harare this morning. It took about two hours, but we came away with a disc @FCOHumanRights @ZimMediaReview pic.twitter.com/YrXIZv08VW

— UKinZimbabwe (@UKinZimbabwe) June 18, 2018

When we paid for the voters' roll this morning, we did not identify ourselves as being from the British embassy. We weren't the first or the only ones to get it. We advise patience – and a bit of pushiness! https://t.co/L3BoRBPryr

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— UKinZimbabwe (@UKinZimbabwe) June 18, 2018

However, some Zimbabweans on Twitter accused the British of running a public relations stunt for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government. Some even challenged the British Embassy to post the voters’ roll online if they indeed have it. Most did not understand how the  British were able to access the roll before the locals.

The British government and it’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, Catriona Laing in particular, have been accused of backing President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF to win the July 30 elections.  Ironically, at a press conference held on Monday, Justice Chigumba said that getting that voters’ roll was not like buying a loaf of bread and that one needed to follow a procedure.  Here is the procedure according to Chigumba,

VOTERS ROLL REQUEST PROCEDURE
1. Request goes to Director Voter Registration and Delimitation Department (VR&D)s office.

2. Details of applicant are entered onto the form indicating whether he/she is a candidate or not a candidate.

3. If candidate, confirm same from the list of candidates

4. If non-candidate. VR&D to issue an invoice for payment

5. Applicant to take invoice to Accounts Office for payment and be issued with a receipt

6. Applicant takes receipt to VR & D office where receipt number is captured

7. Applicant is advised of collection date by VR & D Office

8. VR & D Office advises ICT of the applicant’s request and date of collection

9. ICT advises VR& D of time of collection

10. ICT to remit completed copies of the Voters Rolls to VR & D

11. The Applicant collects the roll from VR& D On — applicant signs on the collection register to acknowledge

Here is how some Zimbabweans responded to the whole episode,

But @ZECzim gave @UKinZimbabwe a copy of the voters roll? What’s going on at ZEC? A foreign government gets the voters roll but it’s not ready for candidates? #ElectionsZW https://t.co/T5f5NCLzaW

— Alex T Magaisa 🇿🇼 (@Wamagaisa) June 18, 2018

While the @ZECzim Chairperson Priscilla Chigumba was addressing a press conference telling us how logistically challenged they are to avail the Voter's Roll to candidates and the public, @UKinZimbabwe was accessing an excel copy of the same! Free and fair? @Wamagaisa @zenzele pic.twitter.com/gDK1uWDrhI

— SekaKhaya (@bekindhlovu) June 18, 2018

On what basis is the UK receiving a copy of our voters roll before we have seen it? If the UK can get a copy of our voters roll you might as well make it available for download. This is crazy! https://t.co/IuE55VXEo9

— Edmund Kudzayi (@EdmundKudzayi) June 18, 2018

The UK embassy has been given a copy of the voters roll by ZEC.

A foreign power.

Meanwhile, the citizens of this country have to beg ZEC for the same.

If you can give it to a foreign power on what basis is it not being made available for download on the www?

— Edmund Kudzayi (@EdmundKudzayi) June 18, 2018

https://twitter.com/NdinneMilayo/status/1008685187549618176

Meanwhile locals are still being told stories, do better @ZECzim https://t.co/RNDmEt9OUb

— C.E Mambo 🇿🇼 (@cemambo) June 18, 2018

https://twitter.com/NdinneMilayo/status/1008683569424797698

Shocking that @UKinZimbabwe get access to the voters roll ahead of ALL opposition candidates & independent candidates. Additionally @UKinZimbabwe is actually advising Zimbabweans to be patient about the delayed VR, this on behalf of @ZECzim @SABCNewsOnline @SofiaCalltorp pic.twitter.com/gL4k4fPmcA

— Victor Chimhutu (@DrVChimhutu) June 18, 2018

Is this account hacked @CatrionaLaing1 @UKSimonT @usembassyharare. UK has joined @ZECzim in advising us to be patient when it's clear the electoral body is failing to discharge its duties? Why do we need to push ZEC to perform it's duties? UK already endorsing a flawed process. https://t.co/hDZUgqvOyD

— Victor Chimhutu (@DrVChimhutu) June 18, 2018

I have an idea. The Embassy should post this online so that finally all Zimbabweans can access it https://t.co/9gd1dBX8M7

— Mduduzi Mathuthu (@Mathuthu) June 18, 2018

something is not adding up here. you identified yourself as what? because @ZECzim is saying the roll is only accessible to candidates for now

— Hope🕊️ (@TheHope25) June 18, 2018

Shocking that @UKinZimbabwe get access to the voters roll ahead of ALL opposition candidates & independent candidates. Additionally @UKinZimbabwe is actually advising Zimbabweans to be patient about the delayed VR, this on behalf of @ZECzim @SABCNewsOnline @SofiaCalltorp pic.twitter.com/gL4k4fPmcA

— Victor Chimhutu (@DrVChimhutu) June 18, 2018

Update:

After publishing the story, we later confirmed that some candidates who had previously failed to buy the roll had managed to get copies from Zec.