Serious Challenges Remain as Voter Registration Wraps up
Jonga Kandemiiri
WASHINGTON DC —
With only five days to go before the close of the national mobile voter registration exercise, reports say there are major challenges in the exercise with many people failing to register to vote in Zimbabwe’s forthcoming general elections.
A large number of people are said to be struggling to get on the voters’ list in Mazowe district, Mashonaland Central province, and other areas around the country.
Sources in Mazowe said more than 600 people failed to register this week alone at registration centres that include Chimurenga in Mazowe and Tsungubvi Hall in Glendale.
Residents said registration officers are taking their time to process applications.
Some women’s groups in Harare on Wednesday handed petitions to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, the Registrar General’s Office, the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee and Ministry of Finance, demanding that the registration process should be gender sensitive.
Elections analyst Jack Zaba told VOA a mop-up exercise is advisable in the affected areas to ensure eligible voters are given a chance to register.
“It’s like the voter registration officials are on a go-slow and unfortunately as mere citizens we can’t tell why they might be on go-slow,” he said.
