News / Local
Biometric Voting System must be monitored says Moyo
01 Apr 2016 at 09:11hrs | Views
People's Democratic Party (PDP) Secretary General, Dr. Gorden Moyo says the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) must engage Civic Society Organisations (CSOs), members of the public and parties set to contest in the 2018 presidential elections, in selecting an independent body or set of individuals to oversee the use of the biometric voting system which it intends to adopt for the forth coming elections.
In an interview Dr Moyo said it is a pity that the technology which can be used to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of the electoral process can also be tempered with, hacked and used to rig elections if the use of the machinery is not monitored.
The biometric system which the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) plans to introduce for 2018 elections, it is a technology which involves the scanning for either fingerprints or the iris in conducting voter registration, voting and it can also be used in the process of counting of votes in order to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of the electoral process.
Dr Moyo said if the technology is properly used, it will go a long way in curbing cases of rigged elections which he claims have happened in the country over the years in the past elections.
"As a representative of PDP I am speaking for the whole party when I say we need this technology to take effect, to put an end to rigging of elections which has been done by the Zanu PF party in the past years."
He said since the biometric voting system is new in Zimbabwe, the commission must not rush to fully implement it.
"We must carefully monitor the first steps to see what results it is going to bring, however I suggest that it be used in the registration process to come up with a proper voter's roll, then we take it from
there," said Dr Moyo.
Meanwhile Dr Moyo said biometric voting is going to be a challenge to use in some remote areas which he highlighted long distances and unavailability of electricity as challenges which are going to be faced in the use of the biometric technology or any other electronic voting method.
"Zimbabwe has outlying areas which are very far some which over the years we have had a challenge in reaching, for example I can account for a place in Gokwe where ballot papers had to be transported using helicopters during the 2008 elections."
At least 25 African countries are said to have tried using the Biometric Voting System and some are claimed to have failed "spectacularly".
In an interview Dr Moyo said it is a pity that the technology which can be used to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of the electoral process can also be tempered with, hacked and used to rig elections if the use of the machinery is not monitored.
The biometric system which the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) plans to introduce for 2018 elections, it is a technology which involves the scanning for either fingerprints or the iris in conducting voter registration, voting and it can also be used in the process of counting of votes in order to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of the electoral process.
Dr Moyo said if the technology is properly used, it will go a long way in curbing cases of rigged elections which he claims have happened in the country over the years in the past elections.
"As a representative of PDP I am speaking for the whole party when I say we need this technology to take effect, to put an end to rigging of elections which has been done by the Zanu PF party in the past years."
He said since the biometric voting system is new in Zimbabwe, the commission must not rush to fully implement it.
"We must carefully monitor the first steps to see what results it is going to bring, however I suggest that it be used in the registration process to come up with a proper voter's roll, then we take it from
there," said Dr Moyo.
Meanwhile Dr Moyo said biometric voting is going to be a challenge to use in some remote areas which he highlighted long distances and unavailability of electricity as challenges which are going to be faced in the use of the biometric technology or any other electronic voting method.
"Zimbabwe has outlying areas which are very far some which over the years we have had a challenge in reaching, for example I can account for a place in Gokwe where ballot papers had to be transported using helicopters during the 2008 elections."
At least 25 African countries are said to have tried using the Biometric Voting System and some are claimed to have failed "spectacularly".
Source - www.radiodialogue.com
