By Tichaona Sibanda
HARARE – Prime Minister Tsvangirai’s efforts to get first times voters to register in Zimbabwe are being undermined by a concerted effort from the authorities, who are cracking down on individuals and groups seen mobilizing youths to register.
On Saturday, police arrested three volunteers from the Election Resource Centre (ERC) for carrying out activities under the group’s popular 1st Time Voter Generation campaign.
The campaign encourages young people to register as voters. The ERC named its volunteers as Farai Saungweme, Wadzanai Nyakudya and Moses Chikura.
On Monday ERC director Tawanda Chimhini handed himself in to the police in a bid to secure the release of the three volunteers. He was immediately charged under section 40 of the Zimbabwe Electoral Act, which forbids individuals from conducting voter education without seeking permission from ZEC.
On Sunday, six members of the Youth Agenda Trust were arrested in Glen View for mobilizing other youths to register as voters. They were picked up from Glen View 6 primary school and taken to Glen View police station where they were detained for 12 hours.
Police charged them with criminal nuisance and they were released after paying $10 fines each. The Youth Agenda Trust named its members as Anesu Tevera, Yemukai Singwere, Sanisai Masimo, Siria Sete , Arnold Svotwa and Russel Mutyambizi.
In an effort to encourage youths to vote the Prime Minister on Monday took his 18 year-old twins, Vincent and Millicent, to the Mount Pleasant district offices of the registrar-general where the duo registered as first time voters.
The Premier, who was accompanied by hordes of local and international journalists, said he got his kids to register as a way of encouraging other young people to do the same.
The MDC leader, who was asked to write a letter of confirmation of residence for Vincent and Millicent, admitted on his Facebook page that the registration process is cumbersome and he wants to ensure that no one is disenfranchised.
He told journalists that his party will continue to push for the removal of the stringent voter registration requirements, adding that there will be another month of voter registration and inspection after the new constitution becomes law. SW Radio Africa
