via Nera signatories pin Zec over 2018 polls – NewsDay Zimbabwe March 18, 2016
Opposition parties signatory to an electoral reform lobby strategy have petitioned the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to immediately ensure a level playing field ahead of the 2018 elections.
BY XOLISANI NCUBE
The petition, handed over to Zec yesterday, demands that the country’s electoral body puts in place measures to ensure free and fair elections in line with the Sadc roadmap for credible polls.
“We, the undersigned signatories to the National Electoral Reform Agenda (Nera), do hereby make the following demands: Clarify whether or not voter registration is underway and if so, how and where it is happening,” part of the petition read.
The opposition parties have complained of an uneven electoral playing field and have come together under Nera to push for changes that would make future electoral contests fairer.
Nera has, among other parties, the MDC-T led by Morgan Tsvangirai and Zimbabwe People First led by Joice Mujuru.
The group also demanded that Zec avails the current electronic voters’ rolls for inspection by all stakeholders and give an update on the delimitation exercise.
“We demand that you demonstrate Zec’s capacity to deliver free, fair and credible elections and update us on the progress made in complying with Sadc guidelines and standards in holding free, fair, safe and credible elections.”
According to correspondences between Nera and Zec, the commission says it will attend to the group’s demands through an all-stakeholders meeting which would be convened in due course.
COMMENTS
Not in due course but now. It’s the only route to legitimacy. Where are the zec people missing the point? They do not live in another planet. They are as pressed with the decay of everything that this regime touches. Talk of destruction of infrastructure, closure of companies, joblessness, collapse of health sector, non functional leadership and hunger and the need for proper elections becomes a must. If zec cannot be the game leveller then they need to leave it to others.