via Nikuv opens new office at army headquarters | SW Radio Africa by Mthulisi Mathuthu on Friday, March 28, 2014
Nikuv International Projects, an Israeli company largely suspected to have assisted ZANU PF to rig the disputed 2013 elections, has resurfaced, this time around operating from the army headquarters in Harare, a leading newspaper has claimed.
The security company, which claims to be specializing in population registration, elections and agriculture closed its Avondale office last year. This followed reports that it had manipulated the polls in favour of President Mugabe’s party. But according to the Zimbabwe Independent, which broke the story then, Nikuv is back in the fold and with indications that it is ‘consolidating its position in government.’
The newspaper said the Israeli outfit has now taken over the production of passports at the KGVI barracks production center. About 30 officials from the Registrar General’s office have already relocated from the Makombe Building to the new center, which will soon be commissioned by Mugabe.
It is believed that under this latest contract Nikuv will produce and print the latest and sophisticated passports. The company will also install high-tech digitalized fingerprint equipment, among other things. Nikuv officials are paid by the state, sources say.
Ahead of July 31st polls, reports said Nikuv was heavily involved in the electoral process and was operating from both its Avondale office and Makombe Building. However, since reports about the Israeli outfit emerged last year, Nikuv officials have steadfastly refused to shed light on the company’s role in the country.
Harare-based SW Radio Africa correspondent Simon Muchemwa, said while many people don’t know what Nikuv does exactly its notoriety has added to the local slang. He said it is common to hear someone saying: ‘I have been Nikuved’ meaning ‘I have been cheated.’
He added: ‘The name Nikuv is subject of ridicule here. The company has a very bad image here and yet at the same time nobody really knows what it does. It’s all rumors but without official confirmation.’
Muchemwa said so secretive are the company’s operations that even some senior government officials are still in the dark. He said suspicion is rife that only Mugabe and his close lieutenants have the complete picture.
There have been unconfirmed reports that Nikuv is also involved in Malawi, raising fears that the May elections will be manipulated in favor of President Joyce Banda. The fears are compounded by the fact that the Malawian Electoral Commission has already hired the discredited Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to provide both equipment and the expertise.
COMMENTS
What happened to our love for HALI HALIME. Zanu has sold the Palestinians big time.
Who needs friends when you have Bob the destroyer.
Treasonous malcontents.
Ooooh my man you remind me of the Shona speaking Ali Halimeh.Sad that he passed away in South Africa 2013 .He was now the Palestine high commissioner in SA.Zimbabwe has double standards, all because of one person who believes its only himself who can lead.Thanks to biological nature, his brain and body are beyond resuscitation.Soon will be history
Mr Reporter, the Registrer General Offices are at KGVI area and not at Army Headquarters. It is only located near Army Headquarters but the two are completely separate entities. Your headline is bent on misinforming the public.
The only way forwad for Tsvangirai to win election is to form a united movement of all opposition parties. Include them , Dr Simba Makoni, Dabengwa, Ncube, Madhuku but because ana Chamisa vane makaro very greedy they will push Tsvangirai to refuse. Then 2018 you will say tabirirwa we have been rigged
First we had violence and crude rigging – dead voters, ballot boxes stuffed at moving polling stations, uniformed services voting before election day etc. Then we ‘progressed’ to electronic rigging, using the voters role.
Whatever the plan for 2018, it will have to be implemented in the next 2 years, while our guard is down. And it wont be the same trick as 2013, which ended up with exposure and an embarassing refusal to hand over the electronic voter’s role.
So it is most likely that the next election is being installed now, while opposition is in disarray and distracted. So that Nikuv is long gone by 2017. And so that the opposition can play the usual game of catch-up, after the effect.
Hopefully we won’t be using fingerprint ID to vote in 2018- using a system proposed by ZANU to allay opposition fears of rigging, proposed by ZANU in say… 2016…but installed by Nikuv in 2014-15.
Pure speculation on my part, so just one of several, possible scenarios to consider. Underlines again the need for good raw intelligence gathering.
The vote rigging machinery for 2018 is being worked out right now with our eyes open. Why is the MDC-T as the main opposition party not concerned with cleaning the electoral system. They are busy tearing each other. The MDC-T must show us that they are different from Zanu-PF. Leadership renewal is not a bad thing. A child born in 1999 when the MDC-T was formed is now 15 years old in Form 2/3! Learn a lot from the race of relay.
It is good that Nikuv is still in Zimbabwe, this is one company that is not going to get away with treason; rigging elections is high treason!