Opinion / Columnist
ZEC gave candidates useless voters rolls
17 Aug 2023 at 22:14hrs | Views
Addressing election observers yesterday, the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Justice Priscilla Chigumba said ZEC gave local authority candidates copies of the ward voters roll, National Assembly candidates were given copies of the constituency voters roll, and presidential candidates were given copies of the national voters roll.
But section 20(4a) of the Electoral Act clearly provides that:
The Commission may prepare and maintain, in printed or electronic form, a consolidated NATIONAL VOTERS ROLL and a consolidated VOTERS ROLL for any CONSTITUENCY or WARD, but such rolls SHALL NOT BE USED FOR THE PURPOSES OF POLLING IN ANY ELECTION.
Therefore, it is clear that by electoral law the ward, constituency and national voters rolls are useless for the purposes of polling in any election.
Why then did ZEC give candidates useless voters rolls, which are not prescribed for the purposes of polling in any election? A useful voters roll is by definition one that is used for the purposes of polling, and nothing else.
In the circumstances, and for the avoidance of doubt, the only useful voters roll for the purposes of polling in any election is the polling station voters roll!
If a registered voter wants to check whether his or her name is on the voters roll, they check the polling station voters roll and no other voters roll!
But section 20(4a) of the Electoral Act clearly provides that:
The Commission may prepare and maintain, in printed or electronic form, a consolidated NATIONAL VOTERS ROLL and a consolidated VOTERS ROLL for any CONSTITUENCY or WARD, but such rolls SHALL NOT BE USED FOR THE PURPOSES OF POLLING IN ANY ELECTION.
Therefore, it is clear that by electoral law the ward, constituency and national voters rolls are useless for the purposes of polling in any election.
Why then did ZEC give candidates useless voters rolls, which are not prescribed for the purposes of polling in any election? A useful voters roll is by definition one that is used for the purposes of polling, and nothing else.
In the circumstances, and for the avoidance of doubt, the only useful voters roll for the purposes of polling in any election is the polling station voters roll!
If a registered voter wants to check whether his or her name is on the voters roll, they check the polling station voters roll and no other voters roll!
Source - X
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
