A GROUPING of opposition parties under the National Electoral Reform Agenda (Nera) will today meet the top leadership of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to press for urgent implementation of electoral reforms.
Source: Nera meets Zec – NewsDay Zimbabwe September 12, 2016
BY BLESSED MHLANGA
Nera’s head of legal affairs, Douglas Mwonzora (pictured), confirmed the development yesterday, saying they will use the opportunity to present their position on electoral reforms to level the political playing field.
“The resolutions made by Nera on Friday include meeting with Zec on Monday, where we will present our electoral reform demands, which are supported by the 2013 constitution,” he said.
Nera’s move comes after police last month banned a protest march by opposition parties, and urged them to send representatives to engage Zec.
Mwonzora said Nera will continue engaging Zec, while at the same time turning up the political heat to force through the reforms, which they believe will pave way for a free and fair election in 2018.
Among their demands, opposition parties want Zec to provide an electronic version of the voters’ roll to all parties ahead of the elections, conduct a transparent voter registration exercise in urban and rural areas, equal access to State media and demilitarisation of Zec secretariat.
“There is clearly no political will for these reforms to be implemented. Therefore, the major problem is political, we, therefore, have to up political pressure so that by 2018 a political solution will have been found and the reforms implemented,” Mwonzora said.
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