Opinion / Columnist
ZEC institution will not deliver free, fair and credible elections in Zimbabwe - The truth must be said as it is
26 Jan 2017 at 20:24hrs | Views
Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC) Institution is in need of professionals with humility and conscience. It must be always remembered that ZEC Institution Commissioned by Rita Makarau has been run and is still being run by technocrats who lack those attributes I have stated above. Therefore it has become clear to all and sundry that the acquisition of highest qualifications without humility and conscience no transformation of any kind shall ever take place in Zimbabwe Election Institutions, be it politically or economically.
Those who call themselves professionals in the Implementation of a Free and Fair Elections or technocrats are the ones who destroyed Zimbabwe Election Systems as enshrined in the March 2013 National Constitution. Only a primitive Institution such as ZEC is destroying a vibrant Nation's Democratic Future bestowed with abundant or ample endowments to sustain itself and its Masters which is Zanu-Pf Party, to its current shameful, embarrassing and desperate state.
ZEC Institution must engage in an awareness campaign targeting visually impaired and illiterate voters to explain that they may either vote by being assisted by a person of their choice or by marking a ballot paper in the manner provided for in Section 59 of the Electoral Act. Section 107 of the Electoral Act deals with the issue of persons who may vote by post. Section 67(3) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides that every adult Zimbabwean Citizen has the right to vote in all elections and Section 155(2) of Zimbabwe Constitution provides that the State is obliged to ensure that all eligible Citizens are registered as voters and have an opportunity to vote.
The possibility of setting up a system of electronic voting should be explored but there would have to be tight safeguards to ensure that the system is not misused or distorted by hacking etc.
The following categories of people are eligible to vote by post or by electronic mail:
* Persons on duty as a member of a disciplined force or as an electoral officer;
* Persons in hospital and those at home who are too sick to be able to vote at a polling station on the polling day,
* Doctors and nursing staff who will be carrying out nursing on the polling day
* Fire brigade and other emergency and essential service personnel such as ambulance drivers who will be on duty on the polling day
* Persons incarcerated in prisons
* Persons on duty in the service of the Government outside Zimbabwe
* Zimbabwean citizens who are registered voters and who are living,working or studying outside the country
* Persons outside Zimbabwe as spouses of persons referred to in paragraph (6) and (7) and so unable to vote at a polling station in the constituency.
Commanders of disciplined forces must endeavour to allow as many of its force members to vote in person at polling stations in their constituencies on the ordinary polling day and restrict postal votes to security personnel genuinely needed for security duties on polling day.The disciplined forces should not require excessive numbers of personnel to have postal votes.This applies particularly to the ZRP force where in the July 31, 2013 harmonised elections, there were unnecessarily large numbers of ZRP Officers who required special votes.
To avoid intimidation by commanding officers of disciplined force personnel, wherever possible (such as at barracks) ,ZEC Institution should administer the process and observers should be entitled to observe the process. For persons outside the country, the postal or electronic voting system should be a simpler system to administer than the expensive system of setting up polling stations in central places in foreign countries in which Ordinary Suffering Zimbabweans are residing globally.
There would also need to be comprehensive safeguards to ensure that this system is not abused. Ordinary Suffering Zimbabweans outside the country should be able to register as voters by post or by email.They would be registered in their place of birth or the place where they were last resident prior to their departure from Zimbabwe and they will then be registered at the appropriate polling station in the constituency.
It is apparent that there is still a very long way to go before ZEC Institution can be able to administer a truly free and fair election in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe Opposition Political Parties should continue to collaborate with each other under the National Electoral Reform Agenda (NERA) to ensure that the forthcoming harmonized 2018 General Elections will be free and fair and that the result of that election should pass the test of legitimacy.
Yes, I know and understand that dictators are not in the business of allowing free and fair elections that could remove them from their thrones. Mugabe is not an exception but ZEC Institution is an Independent Institution that should respect Zimbabwe Constitution particularly on Elections related issues.
Truly speaking my fellow Democrats, ZEC Institution failed us and I'll not hesitate to say it out without fear. Let it be known by every Ordinary Suffering Zimbabweans that, ZEC Institution is the failure of the highest level ever in the World as far holding free, fair and credible elections is concerned.
It is known by all Ordinary Suffering Zimbabweans and sundry that the current clueless failed corrupt Zanu-Pf Election Rigging Machine is composed of the most schooled people, many of them with Degrees if its not Master's Degrees. ZEC Institution is full of Military, Ex-Military and CIOs which are Zanu-Pf Members. There is no iota of confusion here. ZEC Institution firstly promised Zimbabwe Citizens that, they will change Voting Systems to a Biometric Voting Systems but suddenly, they see that, they will not able to Rig Elections in favor of Zanu-Pf and they cancelled Biometric Voting Systems and they can only delivered Biometric Voter's Registration System.
What pained me most is that, most of these ZEC Institution Commissioners possesses credible qualifications, real PhDs from credible universities but the paradox is intriguing, unprecedented massive Election Systems destruction!
It's unfortunate that, they have nothing to show one's professionalism as far as General Elections is concerned. That's what I have explicitly made clear.
Yes, I know and understand that, no one has been asked to stop calling himself/ herself a professional but the implication is, be a professional or technocrat with humility and conscience, not one with the propensity to destroying Zimbabwe Election Systems to satisfy one's ego at the expense of the desperate mourning populace. One who has discarded an egocentric mentality need not worry.
Hon R M Simango
richardmsimango82@gmail.com
Those who call themselves professionals in the Implementation of a Free and Fair Elections or technocrats are the ones who destroyed Zimbabwe Election Systems as enshrined in the March 2013 National Constitution. Only a primitive Institution such as ZEC is destroying a vibrant Nation's Democratic Future bestowed with abundant or ample endowments to sustain itself and its Masters which is Zanu-Pf Party, to its current shameful, embarrassing and desperate state.
ZEC Institution must engage in an awareness campaign targeting visually impaired and illiterate voters to explain that they may either vote by being assisted by a person of their choice or by marking a ballot paper in the manner provided for in Section 59 of the Electoral Act. Section 107 of the Electoral Act deals with the issue of persons who may vote by post. Section 67(3) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides that every adult Zimbabwean Citizen has the right to vote in all elections and Section 155(2) of Zimbabwe Constitution provides that the State is obliged to ensure that all eligible Citizens are registered as voters and have an opportunity to vote.
The possibility of setting up a system of electronic voting should be explored but there would have to be tight safeguards to ensure that the system is not misused or distorted by hacking etc.
The following categories of people are eligible to vote by post or by electronic mail:
* Persons on duty as a member of a disciplined force or as an electoral officer;
* Persons in hospital and those at home who are too sick to be able to vote at a polling station on the polling day,
* Doctors and nursing staff who will be carrying out nursing on the polling day
* Fire brigade and other emergency and essential service personnel such as ambulance drivers who will be on duty on the polling day
* Persons incarcerated in prisons
* Persons on duty in the service of the Government outside Zimbabwe
* Zimbabwean citizens who are registered voters and who are living,working or studying outside the country
* Persons outside Zimbabwe as spouses of persons referred to in paragraph (6) and (7) and so unable to vote at a polling station in the constituency.
Commanders of disciplined forces must endeavour to allow as many of its force members to vote in person at polling stations in their constituencies on the ordinary polling day and restrict postal votes to security personnel genuinely needed for security duties on polling day.The disciplined forces should not require excessive numbers of personnel to have postal votes.This applies particularly to the ZRP force where in the July 31, 2013 harmonised elections, there were unnecessarily large numbers of ZRP Officers who required special votes.
To avoid intimidation by commanding officers of disciplined force personnel, wherever possible (such as at barracks) ,ZEC Institution should administer the process and observers should be entitled to observe the process. For persons outside the country, the postal or electronic voting system should be a simpler system to administer than the expensive system of setting up polling stations in central places in foreign countries in which Ordinary Suffering Zimbabweans are residing globally.
There would also need to be comprehensive safeguards to ensure that this system is not abused. Ordinary Suffering Zimbabweans outside the country should be able to register as voters by post or by email.They would be registered in their place of birth or the place where they were last resident prior to their departure from Zimbabwe and they will then be registered at the appropriate polling station in the constituency.
It is apparent that there is still a very long way to go before ZEC Institution can be able to administer a truly free and fair election in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe Opposition Political Parties should continue to collaborate with each other under the National Electoral Reform Agenda (NERA) to ensure that the forthcoming harmonized 2018 General Elections will be free and fair and that the result of that election should pass the test of legitimacy.
Yes, I know and understand that dictators are not in the business of allowing free and fair elections that could remove them from their thrones. Mugabe is not an exception but ZEC Institution is an Independent Institution that should respect Zimbabwe Constitution particularly on Elections related issues.
Truly speaking my fellow Democrats, ZEC Institution failed us and I'll not hesitate to say it out without fear. Let it be known by every Ordinary Suffering Zimbabweans that, ZEC Institution is the failure of the highest level ever in the World as far holding free, fair and credible elections is concerned.
It is known by all Ordinary Suffering Zimbabweans and sundry that the current clueless failed corrupt Zanu-Pf Election Rigging Machine is composed of the most schooled people, many of them with Degrees if its not Master's Degrees. ZEC Institution is full of Military, Ex-Military and CIOs which are Zanu-Pf Members. There is no iota of confusion here. ZEC Institution firstly promised Zimbabwe Citizens that, they will change Voting Systems to a Biometric Voting Systems but suddenly, they see that, they will not able to Rig Elections in favor of Zanu-Pf and they cancelled Biometric Voting Systems and they can only delivered Biometric Voter's Registration System.
What pained me most is that, most of these ZEC Institution Commissioners possesses credible qualifications, real PhDs from credible universities but the paradox is intriguing, unprecedented massive Election Systems destruction!
It's unfortunate that, they have nothing to show one's professionalism as far as General Elections is concerned. That's what I have explicitly made clear.
Yes, I know and understand that, no one has been asked to stop calling himself/ herself a professional but the implication is, be a professional or technocrat with humility and conscience, not one with the propensity to destroying Zimbabwe Election Systems to satisfy one's ego at the expense of the desperate mourning populace. One who has discarded an egocentric mentality need not worry.
Hon R M Simango
richardmsimango82@gmail.com
Source - R M Simango
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