Source: RG, ZEC begin nationwide handover of voter registration mandate – herald
Trust Freddy
Herald Correspondent
THE Civil Registry Department and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) have initiated a comprehensive nationwide joint transfer of the voter registration and voters’ roll management functions back to the Registrar-General’s Office, in line with constitutional reforms enacted by the Government.
The development follows the signing into law of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Act by President Mnangagwa, which re-establishes the Registrar-General’s mandate over voter registration and voters’ roll compilation.
Leadership teams from both electoral bodies met in Harare today to operationalise the administrative handover, bringing together Provincial Electoral Officers, Provincial Registrars, District Electoral Officers, and District Registrars to align decentralised operations across all administrative tiers.
Speaking during the joint engagement, Registrar-General Mr Henry Machiri confirmed that the operational transition commenced immediately after the legislation was signed into law, targeting completion by the end of August.
“Our structure runs from the national level down to sub-office level, so this transfer is not limited to head office only,” Mr Machiri said.
“The purpose of bringing our teams together is to get everyone to work as one team. It is not just about transferring equipment, but also transferring the mindset of our people so that they understand what they are supposed to do when we take over.”
Mr Machiri reassured the public that the Civil Registry Department possesses the requisite technical capacity, systems, and expertise to manage the voters’ roll, having executed the role before 2013.
ZEC Chief Elections Officer Mr Simbarashe Tongayi said the transition involves physical assets, network infrastructure, and human capital through a whole-of-government approach.
“The transfer involves equipment and infrastructure related to voter registration, including Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits and related network infrastructure,” Mr Tongayi said. “We are ensuring that not only equipment is transferred, but also the expertise and experience from ZEC. We will have attachments and secondments to ensure there is no gap.”
Deputy Chief Secretary for Finance, Administration, and Human Resources in the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC), Mr Zvinechimwe Churu consolidating voter registration into the national civil registration system aligns Zimbabwe with international best practices.
“”By integrating voter registration into the national civil registration framework, the nation establishes a reliable synergy between identity and the franchise of the citizen,” Mr Churu added.
“This ensures that singular citizen data captured at the Registrar-General’s office finds expression in the right to vote, thereby reducing duplication, eliminating discrepancies, and promoting a clean and up-to-date register of voters.”
Mr Tongayi added that ongoing public exercises, such as Continuous Voter Registration, will continue seamlessly alongside joint electoral planning.
Under the updated framework, the Civil Registry Department will also participate directly in Multi-Party Liaison Committees to address stakeholder matters regarding voter registration.
The operational synergy between the two institutions is already underway ahead of three municipal by-elections scheduled for Ward 1 in Bulawayo, Ward 18 in Hwange, and Ward 3 in Victoria Falls.
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