Zec breaking the law: ERC

Source: Zec breaking the law: ERC – NewsDay Zimbabwe July 31, 2017

INDEPENDENT elections watchdog, the Election Resource Centre (ERC), has described the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec)’s proposal to suspend electoral officials’ voting rights as a flagrant breach of the Electoral Act.

BY BLESSED MHLANGA

Last month, Zec chairperson, Rita Makarau announced that all police officers and electoral officers deployed outside their polling stations during the voting period will not be allowed to vote.

“All officers of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and all officers of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission deployed and away from home on polling day will not be able to vote.
Special voting or early voting is gone, which means that each and every one of us has got to be in their ward and at home or near home on polling day …” Makarau said then.

But ERC described the move as illegal.

“Clearly, Zec has ruled out voting through postal votes by members of the disciplined forces and electoral officers on duty. While this appears to be the Zec position, the ERC wishes to refer the commission to electoral amendments, which occurred after the July 2013 elections. Particularly, an amendment to the Electoral Act, section 72 through the General Laws Amendment Act and preceding amendments through the Electoral Amendment Act of 2014 effectively reinstated postal voting to members of the disciplined forces and electoral officers on duty during polling,” ERC said in a statement.

The electoral watchdog demanded that Zec makes special arrangements to facilitate the “right to vote” for all eligible citizens who might be unable to cast their ballots due to various reasons.

“This group of people includes health professionals, members of the disciplined forces, electoral officers, prisoners and those in the diaspora,” ERC said.