Zec tests BVR in mock exercise

THE two international firms bidding to supply Biometric Voters Registration (BVR) kits to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission yesterday displayed how their kits operated in a mock voter registration exercise conducted at a school in Mabvuku high-density suburb.

The companies, Dermalog Identification Systems from Germany and Laxton Group from China, are today scheduled to conduct similar trial runs in Seke communal areas.

The exercise was held under heavy police presence with Zec chairperson Rita Makarau saying the mock exercise was part of the tender requirements.

Initially, the United Nations Development Programme had been tasked to procure the kits before government took over saying it had secured enough funding to buy the kits. Opposition parties have however raised a red flag over the sudden turn of events, accusing the Zanu-PF government of plotting to use the system to rig next year's polls.