Preparations for the 2018 harmonized elections could be plunged into crisis due to under-funding of Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) by the treasury, electoral watchdog, Elections Resource Centre has said.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) submitted its budget proposal of over US$60 million to the Parliament of Zimbabwe for consideration in the 2017 national budget in November 2016 but only got a paltry US$9 million which is likely to impact on the electoral management body’s capacity to administer a credible elections.
Election Resource Centre (ERC) believes the 2018 harmonised elections are under threat of being illegitimate and not credible due to under-funding of ZEC.
“Harmonised elections in 2018 are under threat of being illegitimate and not credible way before they are conducted,” the Election Resource Centre (ERC) said adding that, without adjustments to the budget allocation for ZEC, conducting of an election will not deliver credibility and legitimacy.
ERC noted that government’s failure to prioritize ZEC funding speaks volumes about lack of political will to reform the electoral management body to increase efficiency and capacity to run a credible election that will not be disputed.
“The prevailing budget allocation is a threat to the credibility of elections in Zimbabwe. It threatens the efficiency and sustainability of the country’s democracy. It opens up for increased disenfranchisement and voter suppression.
“The budgetary vote given to the EMB says a lot about political will for electoral reforms, credible elections, and general improvements in the democracy of the country.”
ERC added that 2017 is a critical year as it covers pre-electoral processes of voter registration, voter education, polling specific demarcation and administrative preparations for elections penciled for 2018, hence should have got a bigger vote from the treasury.
The organisation insisted that the state must prioritize funding of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and meet their constitutional obligations, in particular, provided for in Section 155.
Treasury allocated US$1.5 million towards by-elections against a budgetary proposal of US$8.5 million. According to a ZEC report presented to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice, the electoral management body owe suppliers and service providers debts amounting to $3 million accrued from the July 2013 harmonized elections.
ZEC had also made a budget proposal of US$29 million for voter registration and voter education in preparation of the 2018 harmonized elections but no allocation was made by the treasury.
