Source: Zanu-PF introduces electronic membership cards – Sunday News Jun 18, 2017
Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
THE ruling Zanu-PF party has started issuing electronic cards to its members and supporters with a number of features among them being linked to the holder’s bank account to allow automated subscriptions ahead of next year’s harmonised elections.
In an interview, Zanu-PF Midlands provincial chairman Engineer Daniel McKenzie Ncube said the party started issuing the electronic cards on Monday with the pioneer exercise being conducted in Chiwundura constituency ahead of the Parliamentary by-elections on 15 July.
Eng Ncube said the party was targeting more than 20 000 members to be issued with electronic cards in Chiwundura constituency. He said the electronic cards, which contain personal details including a mugshot and electronic chips, will also be linked to the holders’ bank accounts to enable automated subscriptions.
“We are now moving with technology. We have introduced electronic cards that have chips on them and will also have the face of the bearer and personal details among other features. These cards can be linked to the members’ bank accounts to enable automated subscriptions and it will be easy for members to pay their subscriptions.
“We have started issuing the electronic cards in Midlands. We started on Monday and we are targeting more than 20 000 people. We have started with Chiwundura because there is a by-election there. This is also a pioneer exercise to see whether the system needs to be improved,” he said.
Eng Ncube said the exercise will soon be rolled out to other provinces ahead of the 2018 harmonised elections.
“It has been a while since we moved around issuing cards to our members. These electronic cards are also durable, they can last for long and they also make it easy for us to identify members using the electronic system. We are going to replicate these cards so that we start issuing them in other provinces ahead of the 2018 harmonised elections. The cards will enable our supporters to say with confidence we belong to Zanu-PF and be able to enjoy the rights and privileges of being a member of the party,” he said.
Zanu-PF is being represented by Cde Brown Ndlovu in the Chiwundura by-elections.
Cde Ndlovu was the first runner-up of the Chiwundura Zanu-PF primary elections and won the ticket to represent the party when former Zvishavane legislator, Cde Pearson Meeting Mbalekwa withdrew his candidature citing personal reasons.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) declared the Chiwundura Parliamentary seat vacant and a nominations court sat to confirm the candidates for the by-elections.
President Mugabe has since declared July 15 as the by-election date. The seat fell vacant following the death of former Zanu-PF Midlands deputy chairman, Cde Kizito Chivamba. Cde Chivamba (59) who was a Member of the National Assembly for Chiwundura died at Gweru Provincial Hospital in April after a short illness. He was declared a liberation war hero and buried at the Provincial Heroes’ Acre in Gweru.
COMMENTS