Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) may have cavities

Zimbabwe Peace Project has said the information circulating is that Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) may have cavities.

"This is the information that is going round to prospective voters. Many people are shying away from voting due to intimidation and false information. The main perpetrators have been identified as Zanu PF activists and traditional leaders. They are deliberately spreading false information that the finger prints and pictures being captured will be used to see whom one would have voted for come 2018 elections," reported ZPP.

"Tactics of intimidation also include the recording of serial numbers of the registered. This was common in Mount Darwin, Budiriro and Epworth to name just a few places. Traditional leaders on the other hand who are supposed to be non-partisan are also refusing to give proof of residence letters to opposition supporters. According to the Electoral Act Part XVIIIA under ‘Intimidatory Practices' 133A intimidation is (d) withholding or threatening to withhold from a person any assistance or benefit to which that person is legally entitled to."

ZPP said in 133B we note that any person who does any act under intimidation shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level ten or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years or to both such fine and such imprisonment.

"The BVR related violence boiled over in Chitungwiza Unit N ward 23 where Zanu PF youths led by Councillor Betty Dokora Jaison destroyed homes and assaulted members of the opposition MDC-T who were conducting door to door BVR mobilization. Dokora and her followers also harassed and intimidated a ZPP team which was verifying the reports of violence," said ZPP.

"The failure by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to sufficiently educate prospective voters and the failure by the Zimbabwe Republic Police to set up a special investigations committee to investigate cases of electoral violence linked with BVR is regrettable. While the police are obliged to establish such a committee when elections are called, it is clear that the introduction of BVR has created an adversarial environment which has been a source of violence. If this is not addressed many people may elect not to register to vote. A voters' roll based on misinformation, intimidation and harassment will also produce a contested election that can lead to further violence."

ZPP said  the demand that registered voters surrender their voter registration slips appears to be an organised exercise.

"It has been reported in almost every constituency where registration has been taking place.ZEC need to investigate the systematic intimidation and harassment of registered voters and clarify the position of the law on whether any citizen has a right to demand the serial numbers on voter registration slips.
The removal of vendors from the streets of Harare and other central business districts of urban areas also carried with it vast amounts of violations as violence erupted and police fired water and tear gas on different occasions to disperse vendors," reported ZPP.

"Vendors are trying to make a living considering there are no formal jobs and ‘Operation Restore Order' could have been done in a more considerate manner as these vendors have a right to human dignity, freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, right to work and they have a right to administrative justice."