The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has announced the resumption of some electoral activities following Government’s relaxation of the COVID-19 lockdown early this month.
In a statement, ZEC Chief Elections Officer Utoile Silaigwana said the electoral boy has lifted the suspension of voter registration and some field work it announced in January with effect from 1 April 2021. However, the Commission announced that by-elections remain suspended.
“The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) would like to announce that following the relaxation of lockdown measures of Statutory Instrument 10 of 2021 on 01 March 2021, the Commission will lift the suspension of voter registration and some field work it announced on 08 January 2021. The resumption of those suspended activities will come into effect on 01 April 2021.
“However, in view of the danger still posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to uphold some health provision of the Statutory Instrument 10 0f 2021 which are still in force, the conduct of by-elections remains suspended. This position will be reviewed in due course and stakeholders will be advised accordingly,” wrote Silaigwana
ZEC advised citizens who qualify to register as voters and those seeking to transfer to visit the commission’s provincial and district centres.
“The Commission is advising all citizens who qualify to register as voters and those wishing to transfer their registrations to visit voter registration centres at ZEC provincial and district centres. Everyone involved in those electoral activities should strictly observe the Ministry of Health COVID-19 health measures and the Commission’s Covid-19 Policy on Electoral Activities.”
The Commission first announced suspension of electoral activities on March 25, 2020 due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the health risk it posed.
