ZEC in voters' roll dilemma

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is in a dilemma as to whether to come up with a fresh voters' roll or to add on to the one compiled by the Registrar General's Office.

This was revealed by ZEC Chairperson Justice Rita Makarau while delivering a lecture at the National Defence College in Harare.

ZEC says it has a number of challenges it has to deal with before the 2018 elections.

Some of the challenges are the voters' roll registration, realignment of the electoral laws to the constitution, the use of technology in elections, funding of elections and voter education.

Justice Makarau says the organisation is still working on its new mandate of overseeing the voters' roll to ensure it satisfies and gives confidence to the public.

"We have just taken a new mandate and we are wondering, do we start a new voter's registration afresh or do we add on to the one we have and at what cost," she said.

On the June 10 by-elections, Justice Makarau says teams are already out in the field registering voters as the organisation will use the 2013 voter's roll as the baseline.

"As for the June by-elections, we have teams doing their work in all the provinces registering people, all is in order," Justice Makarau added.

According to Justice Makarau, ZEC's priority at the moment is on alignment of the electoral laws to the constitution.

This will give ZEC full powers to execute their work and effectively deliver the 2018 elections.