Opinion / Columnist
ZEC removes 25,000 from voters roll
31 Mar 2025 at 09:20hrs | Views
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has removed more than 25,000 deceased persons from the voters' roll as part of ongoing efforts to maintain an accurate and up-to-date registry ahead of upcoming elections.
The announcement was made by ZEC's Acting Chief Elections Officer, Simbarashe Tongayi, in a Government Gazette published last Friday. The exercise is conducted routinely based on data provided by the Registrar-General, which lists individuals who have been officially certified as deceased.
"It is hereby notified, in terms of section 33(4) read with section 27(1) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13), that voter registration officers have reason to believe that the persons whose names are listed in the First Schedule, and who were registered as voters for the constituencies, wards, and polling stations listed therein, have died. The names of those persons will be removed from the voters' roll unless notice of appeal is given to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission," the notice read.
The gazette also states that any person mistakenly listed as deceased has the right to appeal at ZEC's headquarters in Harare or at provincial offices within seven days of publication. The published list includes the deceased persons' names, national identification numbers, gender, date of birth, residential addresses, date of death, constituency, polling station, district, and province.
ZEC Deputy Chairperson, Ambassador Rodney Kiwa, emphasized the importance of keeping the voters' roll updated, especially in light of pending by-elections such as those in Glen View South and Gutu East constituencies.
"We have to keep the voters' roll as up-to-date as possible with the latest information, particularly when preparing for by-elections. Publishing the names is also a legal requirement that allows individuals to contest any erroneous listings," said Amb Kiwa.
He further explained that an updated voters' roll ensures an accurate threshold of total voters per polling station or constituency, thereby preventing potential electoral fraud.
"If we do not update the voters' roll, we might have a scenario where, for example, 40 percent of the registered voters at a polling station are deceased. This could distort voter numbers and ultimately prejudice candidates," he added.
ZEC's latest action is part of ongoing efforts to enhance electoral transparency and credibility by ensuring only eligible voters are reflected in the register.
The announcement was made by ZEC's Acting Chief Elections Officer, Simbarashe Tongayi, in a Government Gazette published last Friday. The exercise is conducted routinely based on data provided by the Registrar-General, which lists individuals who have been officially certified as deceased.
"It is hereby notified, in terms of section 33(4) read with section 27(1) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13), that voter registration officers have reason to believe that the persons whose names are listed in the First Schedule, and who were registered as voters for the constituencies, wards, and polling stations listed therein, have died. The names of those persons will be removed from the voters' roll unless notice of appeal is given to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission," the notice read.
The gazette also states that any person mistakenly listed as deceased has the right to appeal at ZEC's headquarters in Harare or at provincial offices within seven days of publication. The published list includes the deceased persons' names, national identification numbers, gender, date of birth, residential addresses, date of death, constituency, polling station, district, and province.
ZEC Deputy Chairperson, Ambassador Rodney Kiwa, emphasized the importance of keeping the voters' roll updated, especially in light of pending by-elections such as those in Glen View South and Gutu East constituencies.
"We have to keep the voters' roll as up-to-date as possible with the latest information, particularly when preparing for by-elections. Publishing the names is also a legal requirement that allows individuals to contest any erroneous listings," said Amb Kiwa.
He further explained that an updated voters' roll ensures an accurate threshold of total voters per polling station or constituency, thereby preventing potential electoral fraud.
"If we do not update the voters' roll, we might have a scenario where, for example, 40 percent of the registered voters at a polling station are deceased. This could distort voter numbers and ultimately prejudice candidates," he added.
ZEC's latest action is part of ongoing efforts to enhance electoral transparency and credibility by ensuring only eligible voters are reflected in the register.
Source - The Chronicle
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