2018: Mujuru party demands ZEC revamp – NewZimbabwe 27/03/2016
MUTARE: There is need for a complete overhaul of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) if the country is to hold credible elections, a top Zimbabwe People First (Zim PF) official has said.
Opposition Zim PF official Charles Samuriwo said it does not make sense to implement reforms which declare that no police officer should be in any polling station when the presiding officer and several deputies are ex-military.
He was speaking at a public meeting recently organised by Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) to discuss biometric voter registration and the state of electoral reform in the country.
Samuriwo, a former Zanu PF Manicaland spokesperson, said addressing electoral fraud starts with the cleansing of ZEC and its composition to ensure its total independence.
“In addressing electoral fraud we need to identify areas of weakness that increase the likelihood of electoral fraud. Is it about the carpenter or his tools? Is it about the voters roll or its manipulation?”
He said the best equipment can still be abused when in the hands of manipulators as the Ghana’s 2012 general election proved.
“The credibility of the process, just like the past elections, is subject to it being manned by credible individuals bringing us to the question – is ZEC credible? Does it become so when we change its tools?”
Samuriwo said the selection of ZEC officials, in the best scenario, should be based on qualified individuals from a pool nominated by political parties in a process monitored by regional and international bodies, not a single interested party.
He said ZEC should establish cut-off dates for voter registration to ensure a roll that is not stuffed with ghost voters, adding that voters should have at least three months to verify their names before the election.
“Elections are the ultimate political test and, if politics is a game, then the team that establishes and maximizes on a competitive edge carries a favorable result,” said Samuriwo.
ZEC has, over years, been blamed by opposition parties for manipulating the electoral process in favour of President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF.
The opposition has long demanded reforms, complaining that electoral body was stuffed with Zanu PF apologists and sympathisers.
COMMENTS
the establishment of genuine conditions for a free and fair elections should be the oppositions number one concern and focus of action.
not a single day should pass without a significant action from all opposition parties to demand a neutral ZEC appointed by a panel of lawmakers from all parties with no plurality for any party.
absolutely all aspects of elections should be fundamentally changed etc etc etc until people can trust the system.
the second principal concern is to campaign ceaselessly for mugabe to step down – he has had his two terms and is no longer competent due to advanced age.
The whole electoral system needs a new start.The law, the commissioners, directors and staffers have long been compromised. How does one explain a five weeks delay to announce results in 2008? How does one explain elections with a secret voters’ roll in 2013? How does one explain allowing serving military personnel campaigning openly for a political party? An electoral body that allows dogs to be unleashed on voters cannot be credible. The powers that be fool themselves when they continue the old way. Let there be a professional body to appoint a commission that will be in charge of staffing and drafting laws. The voters register should be available electronically. Men of integrity should run elections. No partisan people.
What a pity Mujuru et al, didn’t demand this for the 2013 elections !! ????