Report damns ZEC over voters’ roll negligence
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) failed to avail the voters’ roll outside polling stations 48 hours before polling and on polling day. This has been brought to light by an Election Resource Centre Peri-Urban Observation statement.
As per the report, all observers reported that the voters’ roll was not available outside polling stations 48 hours before polling.
“Following the 2018 Harmonised Election and as part of administrative reforms aimed at improving access to electoral information, the ZEC, began publishing the voters roll outside polling stations 48 hours before polling.
“This was a welcomed reform. On 9 July, 13 August, and again on 19 August, ZEC, through social media, published the intention to post the voters’ roll outside polling stations 48 hours before polling.
“However, ERC observers noted that 100% of observers reported that the voters’ roll was not available outside their polling stations 48 hours before polling.”
In addition, the report notes that on polling day, ZEC also failed to display the voters roll at some polling stations
“9% of observers reported that the voters’ roll was not available outside polling stations on election day.”
The report is based on observations made by 188 observers at polling stations.
Opposition CCC has rejected the process and result of the election and has also called for ZEC to be disbanded.
The SADC Election Observer Mission said the elections fell short of the standards guiding democratic elections citing ZEC’s controversial delimitation report, its refusal to release the voters roll, late delivery of ballot papers in opposition strongholds, among other irregularities.
