Only 73 people in Masvingo registered to vote in June

A total of 73 people registered to vote in Masvingo Province as a whole in June 2021, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) provincial office has confirmed.

ZEC Deputy Provincial Election Officer (PEO) Maxwell Ncube confirmed the development and said there is a great improvement compared to previous months as more people are registering at their centers.

"A total of 73 people registered to vote in the month of June up from six for the month of May which is about 91.1 percent increase.

"The increase is due to the information that is circulating on various social media platforms and a radio program which was launched by Provincial Elections Officer, Zex Pudurai to encourage the youths to register at the offices which are operating throughout the districts even during this lockdown period," said Ncube.

ZEC Masvingo office recorded only six people who registered to vote in May when only three women and three men registered.

Of the 73 people who have so far registered in Masvingo province, Chiredzi has four, Gutu 44, Masvingo 23, Mwenezi one, while Bikita, Chivi and Zaka had nothing at all.

The provincial office had only one bringing the total to 73, while 65 people have been recorded as transfers.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has been open for voter registration since the end of the 2018 harmonised elections except during the hard lockdown period, the local office of the electoral management body has said.

However Ncube said that people who are not registering in some districts like Zaka, Bikita and Chivi could be lacking motivation, awareness and some of them end up transferring to other areas, adding that the major problem is that people want to do things at the last minute.

"Lack of motivation could be the reason in the districts with low turnout. People just do not come to register on their own, so they require motivation to come for voter registration.

"Some actually say it's a question of attitude, they do not just come to register. They want to come at the last minute," said Ncube.

Masvingo Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) recently launched a program targeting the youth as they are not coming for voter registration.

ZEC provincial elections officer, Zex Pudurai said due to the outbreak of Covid-19 it is difficult for them to conduct roadshows to encourage people to register to vote.

"We can't move around or gather people due to Covid-19 regulations but so far we have launched a program on a local radio station in Masvingo which is educating people concerning the voter registration," Pudurai said.