Spotlight on ZEC as by-elections beckon 

Source: Spotlight on ZEC as by-elections beckon – #Asakhe – CITE

Zimbabweans must monitor the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to ensure they deliver credible elections, the ZPRA Veterans Association has said.

ZEC is currently conducting mobile biometric voter registration which began on a very low note in most of the country Tuesday.

The mobile voter registration was postponed late last year and is being rolled out in two phases. The first phase runs from February 1 to 28, 2022 while the second one will be from April 11 to 30, 2022.

Inbetween the electoral management body will handle the 26 March by-elections.

In an interview with CITE, ZPRA Veterans Association, Buster Magwizi said the realignment of electoral processes was important and citizens must be vigilant to ensure the elections are well handled.

“All Zimbabweans have the right to inspect what is happening in ZEC,” he appealed.

Magwizi said as former freedom fighters, they do not support the deployment of security personnel to conduct work in ZEC, alluding to previous reports that members of the military are the ones who run and manage the electoral process.

“We don’t support the employment or the deployment of the military security system in the issue of elections particularly in ZEC. ZEC must be independent and must be run by civilians,” said the veterans spokesperson.

Magwizi said it was high time the government implemented the diaspora vote, to allow Zimbabweans abroad to exercise their right to vote.

“The diaspora vote will account for the millions of people who are in various countries, who today are non-descript because they don’t belong to any country,” said the ZPRA Veterans Association spokesperson.

“If they don’t vote in Zimbabwe then they don’t belong in any other country. Their country is Zimbabwe where they will come back. So people therefore must contribute by voting in their diaspora communities for the plebiscite that will take place in Zimbabwe. Diaspora vote is a must.”