ZEC notes registration challenges
Victor Sibanda
BULAWAYO- Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has noted major challenges that affected citizens during the just ended voter registration blitz.
During a online discussion hosted by Women Institute for Leadership Development (WILD) in partnership with EkhayaVote2023, Silas Silaigwana ZEC’s Voter Education Coordinator for Bulawayo Metropolitan Province said that he hoped the blitz could reduce voter apathy in the province. Silaigwana highlighted the major challenges observed during registration that included a low turnout, misinformation and difficulty in accessing identity cards.
“We are now embarking on a voter education drive so as to give correct information to the people,” said Silaigwana.
The Mobile Biometric Voter Registration Blitz started on the first of February and ended on 28 February, 2022.
Ndodana Ndlovu, a field officer at the Zimbabwe Elections Support Network (ZESN) urged citizens who missed out on registering in 2017 as well as the February blitz to take advantage of the the blitz scheduled for April.
“Voter registration is an ongoing process and is always done throughout the year at ZEC offices nationwide. This blitz is happening in the 63 districts of Zimbabwe and is meant to get closer to the electorate,” said Ndlovu.
The second phase of the blitz that will be open in April will run parallel with the Registrar General’s Office which will be issuing identity particulars.
As at 22 February 2022 Matabeleland North had the least number of new registrations at 2,091. Bulawayo had 4 219 new registrants while Matabeleland South had 2 244. The highest new registrations were recorded in Harare at 16,437.
