A leading poll watchdog in the country, the Election Resource Centre (ERC) has called for transparency and inclusive approach to electoral processes, urging the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), to clarify the methodology used on the mapping exercise of the voter registration centres.
Opposition political parties recently raised red flag over the unclear distribution of proposed voter registration centres with allegations of strong bias against urban areas.
In an interview with 263Chat, ERC Executive Director, Tawanda Chimhini, said all electoral processes, including the mapping exercise which was done between February and April 2017, must be conducted in a transparent and inclusive manner.
“In the absence of a publicly shared methodology of the mapping exercise it is difficult to be convinced that the above principles have been exhaustively considered,” Chimhini said adding that: “It is, therefore, prudent in the part of ZEC to fully clarify how they have arrived at the number and distribution of the registration centers which will be used as polling stations.”
Chimhini said access, consideration of geography, population distribution and community interest must be the guiding principles of the elections management body in its allocation of voter registration centres.
“In the spirit of inclusiveness, ZEC must be prepared allow a public and stakeholder review of the proposed centres before finalization of the same,” Chimhini said.
Chimhini, who has been calling for the holding of free, fair and credible for more than a decade, said ZEC must prioritise stakeholder’s concerns.
“While ZEC has a constitutional mandate to administer elections independently ignoring concerns of stakeholders will diminish public confidence in electoral processes,” Chimhini said.
ERC, a think tank and advocacy institution on democracy and elections, acknowledged ZEC’s engagement with political parties.
