News / National
Voter registration drive off to slow start
12 Apr 2022 at 06:25hrs | Views
THE mobile voter registration exercise ahead of next year's general elections began on a low note in Harare yesterday.
The Government has released $8,2 billion for the programme which will be carried out in two phases. Phase one ran from 1 February to 28 February, while Phase two will be conducted from April 11 to 30 this year.
In a statement on its official Twitter handle, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission indicated that they will be carrying out Phase 2 of the mobile biometric voter registration exercise from 11 April to 30 April in preparation for the forthcoming elections.
ZEC said centres will open from 7.30am to 5pm including weekends. People have to be 18-years-old or over to register.
Documents required are a national identity card, which can be metal, plastic or a waiting pass with the holder's picture, or a valid Zimbabwean passport. In addition, voters need proof of residence.
People with national IDs inscribed "ALIEN" are eligible to register, but they must produce a long birth certificate indicating that they were born in or outside Zimbabwe.
"At least one of their parents must be a citizen of Zimbabwe or were born in Zimbabwe and one or both of their parents must be citizens of a SADC country and should have been ordinarily resident in Zimbabwe on the day of the publication of the Constitution on 22 May 2013," read the ZEC statement.
A survey carried by the Herald yesterday revealed that there was a low turnout of people at registration centres in Harare.
Some of those who managed to register expressed satisfaction saying they now had an opportunity to vote for a political party of their choice.
Mr Elton Tsanganiko said he was grateful to the Government for affording him an opportunity to register to vote.
"I am very happy to be given a chance register to vote for a leader of my choice. We are praying that everything proceeds smoothly until next year," he said.
Mr Gift Chipato said the registration exercise was an indication that Zimbabwe was a peaceful nation which gives people a platform to express their views in a democratic manner.
"Being given an opportunity to express our views shows that indeed our country is a peaceful nation. We are proud of our country, we love it and we continue to work for it,.
ZEC spokesperson Mr Jasper Mangwana said they are hoping that more people will register to vote since those without identity documents were given a chance to access primary documents by the Civil Registry.
He said voter education teams were on the ground conducting door-to-door campaigns so that the message reaches everybody.
"Members of the public are also urged to access information on voter registration on radio, television, ZEC social media platforms as these will also be used as mediums to dispatch information on the mobile voter registration exercise. More people will register since those without primary documents are given a chance to do so by the Civil Registry. If you have the proper documents you are eligible to register," Mr Mangwana said.
The Government has released $8,2 billion for the programme which will be carried out in two phases. Phase one ran from 1 February to 28 February, while Phase two will be conducted from April 11 to 30 this year.
In a statement on its official Twitter handle, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission indicated that they will be carrying out Phase 2 of the mobile biometric voter registration exercise from 11 April to 30 April in preparation for the forthcoming elections.
ZEC said centres will open from 7.30am to 5pm including weekends. People have to be 18-years-old or over to register.
Documents required are a national identity card, which can be metal, plastic or a waiting pass with the holder's picture, or a valid Zimbabwean passport. In addition, voters need proof of residence.
People with national IDs inscribed "ALIEN" are eligible to register, but they must produce a long birth certificate indicating that they were born in or outside Zimbabwe.
"At least one of their parents must be a citizen of Zimbabwe or were born in Zimbabwe and one or both of their parents must be citizens of a SADC country and should have been ordinarily resident in Zimbabwe on the day of the publication of the Constitution on 22 May 2013," read the ZEC statement.
A survey carried by the Herald yesterday revealed that there was a low turnout of people at registration centres in Harare.
Some of those who managed to register expressed satisfaction saying they now had an opportunity to vote for a political party of their choice.
Mr Elton Tsanganiko said he was grateful to the Government for affording him an opportunity to register to vote.
"I am very happy to be given a chance register to vote for a leader of my choice. We are praying that everything proceeds smoothly until next year," he said.
Mr Gift Chipato said the registration exercise was an indication that Zimbabwe was a peaceful nation which gives people a platform to express their views in a democratic manner.
"Being given an opportunity to express our views shows that indeed our country is a peaceful nation. We are proud of our country, we love it and we continue to work for it,.
ZEC spokesperson Mr Jasper Mangwana said they are hoping that more people will register to vote since those without identity documents were given a chance to access primary documents by the Civil Registry.
He said voter education teams were on the ground conducting door-to-door campaigns so that the message reaches everybody.
"Members of the public are also urged to access information on voter registration on radio, television, ZEC social media platforms as these will also be used as mediums to dispatch information on the mobile voter registration exercise. More people will register since those without primary documents are given a chance to do so by the Civil Registry. If you have the proper documents you are eligible to register," Mr Mangwana said.
Source - The Herald
