ZEC probe opens can of worms

The ongoing police investigations of serious fraud at the Zimbabwe Election Commission (Zec) involving abuse of equipment, election budget materials and missing fuel coupons have opened a Pandora's Box at the battered integrity of the electoral body tasked with the crucial role of running the country's polls.

In terms of the constitution, Zec is mandated to run presidential, parliamentary and local government elections.

The investigations bring into sharp focus persistent allegations Zec is unable to manage and preside over credible, free and fair elections in the country.

Two internal audit reports, one carried out soon after the 2013 referendum and another after the July 31 elections, revealed serious abuse of funds by senior officials in the election-managing body.

In a story broken by this paper, highly-placed sources in Zec said the body inflated the 2013 election budget to give room for looting.

"The budget was inflated as the Zec executive made sure surplus funds are availed so they could loot," the source said.

"The executive also fraudulently procured a lot of superfluous materials such as iPads, cellphones, safety shoes, shirts, sun hats and food hampers for personal benefit."

During the build-up to the referendum and elections, government had to revise downwards the budget submitted by Zec for the two plebiscites.

Zec had budgeted $220 million for the two events, but the amount was brought down to $192 million.