The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is conducting a voter registration blitz targeting rural areas where ZANU PF has historically dominated in past elections, but the process is reportedly being carried out without the usual public announcements.
<a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200030852/zec-voter-registration-raises-dust">NewsDay</a> reported sources as saying ZEC officials have been conducting voter registration in rural areas without making the usual public announcements that typically accompany such exercises. A villager from Gokwe was quoted as saying:
<blockquote>
ZEC visited our community to register voters but without any public announcement. We only heard through word of mouth that ZEC was in the area. There were no posters or notifications, just officials arriving and setting up for the day.
</blockquote>
An official from Gumunyu High School in Gokwe North, who requested anonymity, said the registration blitz was targeting learners. Said the official:
<blockquote>
It is an exercise that is happening in all the schools in rural areas. So we were tasked to tell the learners about the process. They are targeting first-time voters born on or before September 2006.
</blockquote>
ZEC deputy chairperson Rodney Simukai Kiwa confirmed the exercise to NewsDay but denied that the exercise was being done secretly. Said Kiwa:
<blockquote>
There is nothing Nicodemus about it, we are not hiding anything. We have continuous voter registration, it’s not periodic.
Those electoral watchdogs should come to us and we educate them on issues around the electoral processes.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe Election Advocacy Trust executive director Ignatious Sadziwa said:
<blockquote>
ZEC has been discreetly registering voters in several rural communities, where ZANU PF garnered the majority of its support during the 2023 general elections…
This Nicodemus and nocturnal conduct by ZEC is yet another low coming from a commission whose integrity is already in question more tellingly after presiding over a sham general election in 2023.
This clandestine operation undermines the transparency and integrity of the electoral process, eroding trust in ZEC and the entire democratic system.
By failing to publicly announce the voter registration exercise, ZEC has denied citizens their right to participate in the democratic process.
This secrecy also creates an environment conducive to manipulation, disenfranchisement, and electoral malpractices.
</blockquote>
Election Resource Centre legal and advocacy officer Takunda Tsunga said:
While ZEC is mandated to carry out continuous voter registration, there is a constitutional obligation on ZEC to carry out its function in a transparent way.
<blockquote>
To ensure the inclusion of all, ZEC must publicly disclose all registration activities and work with civil society organisations and political parties to alleviate any concerns around the integrity of their conduct.
ZEC is faced with a credibility crisis and their actions must be conducted in a way that restores confidence and credibility.
</blockquote>
In previous elections, the opposition and electoral monitoring groups have alleged that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has exhibited bias favouring the ruling ZANU PF party and its candidates.
During the 2023 general elections, thousands of voters in urban areas with a history of opposition support reportedly failed to cast their ballots after ZEC allegedly failed to deliver sufficient ballot papers to some polling stations on time.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is registering voters in rural areas secretly. ZEC officials are not making public announcements for voter registration. Villagers only hear about it through word of mouth. The registration is also targeting students in rural schools. ZEC deputy chairperson denies secrecy but says it's continuous registration. Critics say this secret operation is not transparent and undermines democracy. They want ZEC to be more open to restore trust. In the past, ZEC has been accused of bias towards ZANU PF. Opposition and monitors worry about ZEC's credibility for future elections.

ZEC Pushes Voter Registration In Rural Areas

The Government has not yet paid the civil servants who conducted the mobile registration mop-up exercise last year in preparation for the August 2023 harmonised elections.
At the time, the Ministry of Finance said it had budgeted US$16 million for the exercise.
Participants in the exercise were entitled to a daily payment of US$120 from March to April 2023.
However, according to documents seen by <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/thestandard/news/article/200025639/govt-fails-to-pay-civil-servants-for-blitz">The Standard</a>, the civil servants are yet to receive a single cent for their services. Each individual is owed up to US$3 600 by the government
Finance Ministry secretary George Guvamatanga wrote to Home Affairs Secretary Raphael Faranisi on February 28, 2024, saying the allowances would be paid in batches because of financial constraints. The letter reads in part:
<blockquote>
Given the resource constraints against competing demands related to budgeted government programmes and projects, Treasury commits to settle the outstanding amount in three batches commencing March 2024.
In order to restore value lost due to depreciation, payment of allowances will be made in foreign currency.
</blockquote>
In a recent interview with The Standard, Faranisi said that some individuals have already received their payments, while those awaiting their dues should contact the Registrar General’s office.
An unnamed officer from the registrar’s office told The Standard that he incurred additional expenses while pursuing the outstanding dues. He said:
<blockquote>
It’s now a year after we had been promised and nothing is materialising. I make phone calls time and again and sometimes I travel to the Home Affairs Ministry following up on that money because I spent my savings to participate in that exercise.
</blockquote>
In Zimbabwe, the issue of delayed payments for civil servants has been a longstanding concern. Civil servants who provide essential services to the Government face the frustration of not receiving their payments on time.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Govt Fails To Pay Civil Servants For Voter Registration Blitz

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is experiencing what it calls a temporary shortage of thermal paper rolls used to print voter registration confirmation receipts at some centres.
In a statement issued on Monday, 20 March, ZEC Acting Chief Elections Officer, Jane Chigidji said the shortage of the paper should not discourage aspiring registrants from registering. Reads the statement:
<blockquote>
The Commission is encouraging aspiring registrants to feel comfortable registering at some centres that would have temporarily run out of thermal paper roll used to print voter registration confirmation receipts.
The unavailability of a confirmation receipt does not affect one’s registration as a voter.
Those in need of the receipts will be advised in due course regarding when and where to collect them.
Any inconvenience caused is sincerely regretted.
</blockquote>
Last week, ZEC announced the extension of the final nationwide mobile biometric voter registration exercise deadline by five days, from 21 March to 26 March.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

ZEC Fails To Give Voter Registration Confirmation Receipts To Aspiring Voters

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) says recurring unscheduled power cuts are negatively affecting the ongoing final mobile voter registration blitz at some centres.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, ZEC said the situation has been worsened by the cloudy weather conditions prevailing in some parts of the country.
ZEC, however, assured citizens that all people who are eligible and willing will be registered for the upcoming harmonised elections. ZEC said:
<blockquote>
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) hereby notifies the public that it is currently experiencing technical difficulties at some of its registration centres.
This is due to shortages of electricity affecting the charging of the BVR kits.
The situation is also worsened by the cloudy weather, which affects the solar-powered BVR kits.
ZEC assures the public that every eligible citizen will be registered.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Load Shedding Affecting Voter Registration - ZEC

Large numbers of aspiring voters visited some Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) mobile biometric voter registration centres across the country on Sunday ahead of the 2023 general elections, reported <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200008743/aspiring-voters-flood-zec-centres">NewsDay</a>.
ZEC started its final voter registration blitz on Sunday, with the programme set to end on 21 March 2023.
Project Vote 263 chairperson Alan Chipoyi said their coordinators noted delays by ZEC officials in some places. Said Chipoyi:
<blockquote>
People are coming out in numbers to register to vote in Budiriro for instance, but it appears there are delays at the ZEC offices.
We have coordinators across the countries reporting similar problems where registrants are waiting at the ZEC mobile centres for a while before they get service.
But ZEC educating officers are doing a sterling job of providing the necessary information to the public on this blitz. 
However, it does not make sense if the person then goes to the registration centre and fails to register.
If the issues at ZEC are not addressed with urgency, a significant number of youth will be deprived of an opportunity to register to vote
</blockquote>
Speaking to NewsDay, Zimbabwe Election Advocacy Trust executive director Ignatius Sadziwa, said:
<blockquote>
This can be attributed to the starting day being a Sunday when most people are attending church. We expect increased numbers as the week progresses.
However, we don’t see a lot of awareness being raised around the issue. ZEC is supposed to increase its advertising material so that people are aware.
At least 510 first-time voters are required from each of the 1 958 wards to reach the one million mark from this blitz.
I don’t think that is an asking figure if awareness is raised.
</blockquote>
ZEC deputy chairperson Rodney Simukai Kiwa told the publication that it was too early to comment on turnout. He said:
<blockquote>
It is early for us to comment on the turnout of the people on this registration blitz.
We will be in a position to comment at the end of the day (yesterday) for us to do a comparative analysis of the turnout to come up with an objective analysis.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

ZEC Voter Registration Blitz Commences

Churches under the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) are urging eligible citizens to register to vote in the upcoming general elections.
The churches have incorporated the “Pray, Register to vote and Vote” theme into their main Sunday programmes.
ZCC general secretary Wilfred Bimingo told <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200008447/churches-join-voter-registration-blitz">NewsDay</a> that Christians should understand that voting is a God-given right. Said Bimingo:
<blockquote>
Previous elections in the country have been violent and it had distanced the people of Zimbabwe, including Christians, from the electoral process.
We launched this campaign to educate and encourage people to vote, especially in the upcoming elections.
It does not focus on registration alone but on all other electoral processes. We are targeting young people.
People should exercise the democratic right to vote, which also is a right given by God.
We have seen an improvement in the participation of Christians in electoral processes following the launch of this campaign.
</blockquote>
According to ZEC, 5 804 975 people were on the 2023 voters’ roll as of April 2022, against an eligible voter population of 8 738 628.
ZEC is set to conduct its last voter registration blitz that will run from 12 to 21 March 2023.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pray, Register To Vote And Vote - Churches

President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday urged Zimbabweans to register as voters to ensure that they vote in general elections slated for later this year.
Addressing ZANU PF supporters at the National Heroes Acre during the burial of the late national hero Retired Brigadier-General Walter Kanhanga, Mnangagwa said:
<blockquote>
As the 2023 harmonised general elections draw closer, I call upon all our citizens to register to defend, consolidate and advance the gains of our independence.
Let us continue to say no to violence while remaining vigilant against the machinations of our detractors.
As people, we must be allowed to exercise our democratic rights without external interference. As the ZANU PF government, we will continue to guarantee the right of all types of malcontents.
</blockquote>
Kanhanga died last week on Thursday at his rural Guruve home in Mashonaland Central Province.

Mnangagwa Urges Zimbabweans To Register To Vote

A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/voter-registration-accident-fund?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&amp;utm_content=undefined&amp;utm_medium=copy_link_all&amp;utm_source=customer&amp;utm_term=undefined">voter registration accident fund</a> has been initiated for 19 Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/great-zimbabwe-university-students-in-an-accident-on-way-from-registering-to-vote/">students who were involved in an accident</a> on their way from Masvingo where they had gone to register to vote.
Reports suggest one of the students is in urgent need of an operation.
The crowdfunding initiative was organised by Estelle Adams-Stone who is also organising the Job Sikhala and Godfrey Sithole fundraiser. Wrote Estelle Adams-Stone:
<blockquote>
A group of young Zimbabwean university students was mobilized to go and register to vote in Zimbabwe.
On their way back, they were involved in a car accident resulting in hospital treatment being required.
Unfortunately, some of them were badly injured and as a result they require surgery.
As Zimbabweans or friends of Zimbabwe, can we come together and help them get the medical treatment required since they were injured after heeding the call to register to vote.
The total required is only US$5000. Please donate any amount you can, every dollar helps.
</blockquote>
When Pindula News wrote this article, the initiative which was launched two days ago had generated £1,927 of the £5,000 desired.
<h2><a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>

Voter Registration Accident Fund Initiated For GZU Students

Masvingo Province recorded a significant rise in new voter registrants for the month of October 2022.
According to statistics released by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) provincial office 4 245 people registered as voters in October.
Of the new voter registrants, 2 210 are female while 2 035 are male.
ZEC Deputy Elections Officer Maxwell Ncube confirmed the statistics and said there was a notable increase of 26.2 percent in new voter registrants. Ncube said:
<blockquote>
The increase could be a result of stakeholders participating in mobilizing registrants as some of them are even bussing people to registration centers.
It could be also awareness amongst registrants now that we are nearing the 2023 general elections; they want to register so as to meet the deadline.
We continue to encourage those willing to participate in the 2023 elections to register as voters to enable them to make decisions for the country’s future as well as participate as candidates.
</blockquote>
The ZEC provincial office also recorded a total of 930 transfers, 523 of which are female and 407 male.
In September 2022, 3 130 people registered to vote in Masvingo Province with 1 595 women and 1 535 men. | <a href="https://tellzim.com/4245-people-register-to-vote-in-masvingo-province-in-october/">TellZim News</a>

4 245  People Register To Vote In Masvingo Province In October

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) banned a concert over the weekend that was meant to encourage young people to register to vote in the upcoming 2023 general elections.
The event, which had Asaph, Holy Ten and Enzo Ishall as headlining acts, was scheduled for Hartsfield Tshisanyama in Bulawayo on Saturday from 2 PM until midnight.
Initially, police had given permission to organisers, 3D Events Management, to hold the function, but then reversed the decision without giving reasons for the ban.
The police letter acknowledging receipt of the notification addressed to Mduduzi Mdlongwa reads:
<blockquote>
This office acknowledges receipt of your letter dated 7 November 2022 and has noted your request.
It remains your duty to ensure the concert is not held in contravention of any laws of the country. Thank you for the notification.
</blockquote>
The letter was signed off by one Chief Superintendent V. Nkomo, who is Bulawayo Central District Commander.

Police Ban A Register To Vote Music Concert  Targetting Young People

Bulawayo City Council Ward 26 councillor Mpumelelo Moyo is offering rewards to citizens who will mobilise the most youths to register as voters ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Twenty (20) “lucky” youths will be given an opportunity to obtain a driver’s licence free of charge if they register to vote.
There are also three deep freezers up for grabs for three people who will mobilise the highest number of youths to register.
Moyo said the campaign will run from 1 to 31 August and is being coordinated by a team of 50 people who are mobilising eligible residents to register to vote. He said:
<blockquote>
We are driving Zimbabwe into the future by focusing on the youth whose participation in the voter registration process is low. I need all street champions to Champion this programme.
We secured 3 deep freezers for the 3 champions who will mobilise the most youths to register. We are starting from 1 August to 31 August.
At the end of the program, we will conduct a draw to select the first 20 lucky youths whom we will assist to attain class 4 driver’s licences.
This will also make them employable and generate income for themselves. We have put in place a Kombi to ferry them, all those that are ready can be transported to ZEC offices at Famona at any time convenient to them.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://cite.org.zw/free-drivers-licence-for-youths-who-register-to-vote/">CITE</a>

Free Driver’s Licence For 'Lucky' Youths Who Register To Vote

Electoral watchdogs have expressed concern over the low number of registered voters in spite of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) conducting a voter registration blitz recently.
On Tuesday, ZEC released a statement stating that as of 10 June, the country’s registered voters numbered 5 804 975, a 2% increase from 5 695 706 in 2018.
Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) chairperson Andrew Makoni implored ZEC to find ways to encourage the youth to register to vote. Makoni said:
<blockquote>
It’s shocking that the registration blitzes that were done by ZEC have not achieved the desired results.
The commission needs to go back to the drawing board and devise campaigns which can encourage youths to participate in electoral processes assuming that they constitute a large number of potential voters.
Remember, ZEC is targeting at least two million new youthful voters. It appears elections don’t mean anything to our youths and it must be established why.
Elections have not changed anything or transformed their lives. Our successive governments have not delivered and the youth are expressing their displeasure through apathy. As stakeholders, we must address the root cause of this.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe Election Advocacy Trust director Ignatius Sadziwa urged ZEC to conduct another mobile voter registration blitz to ensure that more people are registered. He said:
<blockquote>
Our greatest undoing has been an indifferent youth population which is not forthcoming. Unfortunately, this is the biggest demographic group.
There is a need for another round of a voter registration blitz and hopefully, there will be improved service delivery from ZEC.
Previous exercises were marred by a lot of irregularities. It’s also incumbent upon civil society to complement ZEC’s efforts.
</blockquote>
Meanwhile, ZEC spokesperson Jasper Mangwana on Wednesday told NewsDay that the commission would consider conducting another voter registration blitz before the polls.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2022/07/zec-to-consider-new-voters-blitz/">NewsDay</a></h4>

Electoral Watchdogs Call For Another Voter Registration Blitz

Civic Society Organisations (CSOs), political parties and political analysts have urged the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to extend the mobile voter registration beyond 30 April 2022 to enable more people to register as voters.
The mobile voter registration was being conducted at the same time as the Registrar General’s (RGs) mobile registration exercise which was issuing national identity documents (IDs) and birth certificates.
In an interview with NewsDay, Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) Bulawayo spokesperson Swithern Chirowodza said the twenty days for the voter registration blitz was not enough.
Ibhetshu likazulu secretary-general Mbuso Fuzwayo said the mobile voter registration exercise should be extended as few people are getting national identification cards. Said Fuzwayo:
<blockquote>
The voter blitz must be extended. They must make sure people get documentation before those doing voter registration and the number of people getting identity documents in a day is far too little which shows that the government was not ready logistically.
</blockquote>
A political analyst, Mkhululi Tshuma, said thousands of youths are yet to get IDs, therefore, the voter registration blitz should be extended to cater for them. Said Tshuma:
<blockquote>
It’s wrong for voter registration to be closed. The first mobile registration closed when very few people had registered mainly due to the fact that many people had no identity documents.
On the eve of the second mobile registration, the registry office started issuing IDs which was commendable.
There are still challenges in the process as thousands of people, most of them youths, are yet to acquire national IDs.
There is no one denying the fact that the second mobile registration window attracted more registrants than the first.
But this still falls short of the mark as there still remain thousands more who are still unregistered.
All you need to do is follow the queues that are still forming in the mobile registration being done by the registry office.
These are all potential voters that must not be excluded as far as voter registration is concerned.
The allocated time wasn’t enough especially seeing that there have been many logistical challenges posed especially by lack of ID documents.
We can’t talk of the time allocated without noting logistical challenges that have severely affected the process.
</blockquote>
Former MDC-T vice president Thokozani Khupe’s spokesperson, Ntando Ndlovu said ZEC should extend the exercise for maximum benefits. Said Ndlovu:
<blockquote>
There is no doubt whatsoever that the exercise must be extended because the teams were not enough and therefore unable to cover all the wards.
In some cases, there was little information on mobile registration centres. What is needed now are permanent registration centres in each and every ward.
We have sampled various areas in Bulawayo and the two rural Matabeleland provinces; it’s clear that most unregistered voters failed to take advantage of the current exercise.
This was mainly due to a lack of identity documents and the unavailability of information on mobile registration centres.
The allocated time was not enough; there’s a need to establish permanent registration centres in each and every ward.
ZEC and other non-state actors must intensify voter education in all the villages and towns.
</blockquote>
Meanwhile, ZEC Chief Elections Officer Utoile Silaigwana said that the mobile voter registration exercise ends today, 30 April 2022.
In a statement released on Saturday, 30 April 2022, Silaigwana said members of the public can still register as voters at ZEC’s district and provincial offices. 
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2022/04/plea-for-voter-registration-blitz-extension/">NewsDay</a>, <a href="https://cite.org.zw/extend-mobile-voter-registration-zec-urged/">CITE</a></h4>

Extend Mobile Voter Registration, ZEC Urged

In a press statement released today, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) urged the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to reconsider removing proof of residence as a requirement for one to be registered as a voter. ZESN also encourages ZEC to educate potential voters on alternatives for those that fail to produce proof of residence.
Said ZESN:
<blockquote>ZESN has called upon the Commission to reconsider its position in reintroducing the need for potential registrants to produce proof of residence in order to avoid challenges experienced during the previous especially amongst youth and urban voters. In light of the significant number of potential registrants who do not have their own houses, ZEC should conduct comprehensive voter education and widely publicize mechanisms that are available should one fail to produce proof of residence to ensure that no voters are disenfranchised.</blockquote>
More: <a href="http://263chat.com/scrap-proof-residence-requirement-new-voters-zesn/">263Chat</a>

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