Voter registration transfer to RG's office set in motion

The Government is finalising a subsidiary legal framework to facilitate the transfer of voter registration responsibilities from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to the Registrar General's Office following the enactment of the Constitutional Amendment (No. 3) Act, 2026.

The new regulations will also govern the transfer of constituency and ward delimitation functions from ZEC to the newly established Delimitation Commission, in line with the constitutional changes.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, ZEC Chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba said consultations between the Commission and the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs were underway to ensure a smooth transition.

"Following the enactment of the Constitutional Amendment (No. 3) Act, 2026, which transfers the function of voter registration, the compilation of voters' rolls and registers, the custody and maintenance of voters' rolls and registers to the Registrar-General, and transfers the delimitation of constituencies, wards and other electoral boundaries to the Delimitation Commission, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission wishes to advise the public that the handover of those aspects of its mandate that have been transferred to other institutions is a process that it is engaged with," Justice Chigumba said.

She said the anticipated subsidiary regulations would establish a comprehensive framework to guide the handover process and define the operational procedures for the transition.

Justice Chigumba stressed that despite the constitutional changes, ZEC remains fully capable of carrying out its remaining constitutional responsibilities.

"The Commission wishes to assure the public that it remains fully equipped and operationally prepared to continue to discharge its core mandate as specified in Section 239 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, which is to prepare for, conduct and supervise all elections and referendums and to ensure that those elections or referendums are conducted efficiently, freely, fairly, transparently and in accordance with the law," she said.

She added that ZEC would continue to oversee key electoral functions, including designing and printing ballot papers, conducting voter education, accrediting election observers and supervising the administration of elections and referendums.

Speaking separately, Justice Chigumba said consultations had not yet been concluded.

"We have not yet concluded the consultations and once they are finalised, the necessary announcement will be made," she said.

Registrar General Henry Machiri said his department was prepared to resume voter registration duties, noting that the Civil Registry had previously performed the function before it was transferred to ZEC in 2013.

"From 1980 up to 2013, the Civil Registry was responsible for voter registration. It got under the purview of ZEC from 2013 to date. So we are ready to continue with the work that we have been doing in previous years," Machiri said.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently assented to Constitutional Amendment (No. 3), which, among other changes, transfers voter registration and the management of the voters' roll to the Registrar General while establishing a separate Delimitation Commission responsible for constituency and ward boundary delimitation. The implementation of these changes will be guided by the subsidiary regulations currently being developed by Government.