adminElections in this country were born by the liberation war, a war that replaced racist impunity with popular democracy.
This is why election time makes so many very emotional because they cannot help but have those painful memories of the struggle flooding their faculties again.
That fight for universal suffrage to chart our own destiny began more than a century ago in the First Chimurenga and it is quite a worthy tribute to our fallen heroes for the Government to continue to resolutely safeguard our right to choose leaders of our choice.
As reported in our edition yesterday, Cabinet has directed the Registrar-General’s Office to replace lost documents for all Zimbabweans free of charge until the last day of voter registration for the forthcoming harmonised elections with “aliens” also granted the go-ahead to get citizen identity documents with immediate effect to enable them to register as voters.
It is every Zimbabwean’s right to vote and choose leaders of their choice at every level of Government and the failure by Government to register everyone and grant all eligible potential voters with registration documents has been a failure that we should be ashamed of.
While we are aware that the majority is registered through having some form of identification, the cost of replacing lost identity documents, inaccessibility of the RG’s offices that are in urban centres have seen some people failing to get national identity documents over the years, and hence fail to make their voice heard during elections.
“Prior to the harmonised elections of 2013, all identity documents shall be availed to citizens, free of charge, for a period up to the closing of the roll.
“At the same time, those who are not on the voters’ roll can be automatically entered on it,” said Home Affairs Co-Minister Theresa Makone in an address to the media on Tuesday.
We would like to urge Zimbabweans from all corners of the country to take advantage of the Government’s offer and get identity documents in readiness for the elections.
There are many people with national identity documents who take the right to vote for granted, and these should be reminded that thousands died for us to attain that right hence the need to register and vote in the next elections.
Zimbabwe’s indigenisation started in earnest in 1980 through the election of a majority Government and it can only be sustained through the vote of Zimbabweans who are conscious of their history.
It is important to demystify some arguments surrounding elections such as the constant criticism of the voters’ roll.
A voters’ roll is not a magic document from some other planet but a dynamic record of those willing to have a say in the governance of their country, who would have voluntarily registered their names as an expression of intent to vote.
Inasmuch as people are born daily, many die each day and the roll can never be amended enough to capture these daily dynamics though it can still be reasonably respectable by capturing the spirit behind registration for elections.
We would like to salute the Government for embarking on voter registration and ensuring that citizens have the necessary documents to enable them to enjoy their franchise.
Zimbabwe is a multi-racial and multi-cultural society, thanks to our history, some of it quite a bitter one though, and this diversity has imbued our nationhood with resilience gleaned from a variety of several knowledge systems drawing from the different cultures.
These cultures sustained our fight against colonialism and our different people contributed in their own different way during the struggle for independence.
It is in this light that the new constitution recognises anyone born in Zimbabwe or born of either parent being a Zimbabwean is a Zimbabwean and is entitled to be a voter.
However, let us not have those whose identity documents describe them as aliens showing up at polling stations with those IDs.
They should immediately swap those for citizen IDs since the Government has put people first by ensuring that the process does not wait for the adoption of the new
Constitution by Parliament and eventual assent to by the President.
We believe all stakeholders can play their part now to get the kind of voters’ roll and ultimately election that this country deserves.
All input should be directed to the Registrar-General’s Office and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to ensure that by the time elections are held all systems would be in place.
The availability of an electronic copy of the voters’ roll is yet another milestone that should be applauded. Political parties are slowly waking up to the reality that it is not how many people fill up a stadium during a campaign rally that matters but how many registered voters actually go to vote for your party.
Efforts by political parties and the Government to have as many people as possible registered should ensure that our elections are so credible that no one would have any reason to query the outcome.
Zimbabwe can do it.
Online Reporter