SADC petition over voter registration kits

By Eddie Zvinonzwa

Opposition Transform Zimbabwe (TZ) plans to petition Sadc over government’s alleged move to hijack the procurement of biometric voter registration (BVR) kits from the United Nations’ Development Programme (UNDP).

A few weeks ago, President Robert Mugabe’s hard-pressed administration announced it will inject $17 million towards the procurement of the BVR kits, to be used in the compilation of a fresh voters’ roll for the eagerly-anticipated 2018 elections.

On Saturday, the party’s president, Jacob Ngarivhume, together with hundreds of members appended their signatures on the petition set to be handed over to Sadc leaders in due course.

“The voters’ roll is one of the first electoral reforms we have been fighting for together with colleagues in the National Electoral Reforms Agenda (Nera). The voters’ roll has presented gaps through which elections have been stolen every year,” he said during the launch of TZ’s voter registration campaign in Glen Norah, Harare.

Nera plans to stage a demo over the BVR kits on March 22.

The TZ leader said the party had resolved to work with other political parties in 2018.

“We are participating in electoral alliance discussions with other political parties so that we will not contest each other at all levels in 2018,” he said, adding that everyone must go and register to vote when the registration process opens up.

“We are aware that Zanu PF will make sure there are fewer registration centres in urban areas. Many other obstacles will emerge to make it difficult for people to register as voters,” Ngarivhume said.

“We will demonstrate against designs to dictate on the procurement of BVR kits.”

Also addressing the gathering — graced by Nera officials — cleric Ancelimo Magaya urged the Church to help people achieve their dreams.

“Churches must not only feed the hungry and bury the dead.

“As a church leader myself, I aim to question why those people have died, and why they are hungry in the first place,” said the Zimbabwe Divine Destiny bishop, who once staged a protest against Mugabe’s 37-year rule.

“The current government has dismally failed to guarantee security of persons. You have to be determined to fight to achieve the Zimbabwe you dream of.” Daily News