Source: Pressure piles on Zec over BVR tender winner – NewsDay Zimbabwe June 1, 2017
CONCERNED Citizens Support Network of Zimbabwe (CCSNZ) is piling pressure on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) over the delay in announcing the winner of the biometric voter registration (BVR) kits tender.
BY OBEY MANAYITI
In a letter dated May 29 addressed to Zec chairperson, Rita Makarau, CCSNZ said the country was running out of time and any further delays would jeopardise the chances of using BVR for next year’s elections.
“Almost a month after BVR site validation and testing, your much-esteemed organisation is yet to announce the winner of the BVR tender. More than a month after calling for inputs into the voter registration regulations, there has been no progress, let alone feedback on the same from your organisation. The Statutory Instrument is still work in progress despite being long overdue,” read the letter.
CCSNZ said it was unusual that almost 15 months before the elections, voter registration and education was yet to commence, while also registering displeasure over the abandonment of the political parties dialogue forum.
“The delays and reluctance have inevitably heightened fear of the possibility of a return to the old voters’ roll.
As concerned citizens, we seek to receive clarification from your much-esteemed organisation on the aforementioned,” added the letter.
CCSNZ said their grievances should be addressed in a space of two weeks.
Last month, two companies, Laxton Group Limited from China and Dermalog Identification Systems from Germany, underwent validation tests as part of the bidding process.
Zimbabwean elections have been disputed by opposition parties, who claim Zec has been using an outdated voters’ roll, which is easily manipulated by the ruling Zanu PF.
As a result, Zec is trying to use BVR kits in creating a new voters’ roll for the 2018 harmonised elections.
COMMENTS