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Printflow and Fidelity Printers let the nation down as they failed to deliver voting materials required for postal votes on time.
We are informed that on the first day of voting the printers failed to print a tenth of the 87 000 ballot papers required for the two-day exercise. On the second day the situation improved significantly but still the material fell short of requirements.
Electricity blackouts and delays in finalising designs were cited as the cause of the failure to print ballot papers on time.
One would also assume that ZEC might have failed to provide funding to the printers resulting in them using their own resources as the main reason for the problems experienced.
Whatever the reason, the fact of the matter is that the incident attracted negative publicity locally and internationally at a time our country has been battling to restore its battered image.
It must also be remembered that our elections are a test case for the rest of the continent in terms of how our institutions and companies have been resilient in the face of economic sanctions. This is an opportune time to demonstrate our inherent capabilities to win in the face of adversity, misunderstanding and those that wish us to fail.
Our elections their conduct and importantly capacity for local companies to provide world class service, will also demonstrate our readiness to host the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s General Assembly next month.
It is not a secret that a number of companies, both local and foreign have been queuing for business given that US$130 million has been budgeted for elections with a portion of that earmarked for the production of ballot materials.
Most have offered attractive payment and delivery terms just to get a piece of the pie. A number of these companies and mother countries are not happy with ZEC’s decision to go local.
Remember as well that most of our neighbouring countries including close friend, Zambia actually import ballot papers for national elections.
The failure by Printflow and Fidelity to exceed expectations on the initial exercise was thus extremely damaging to our country’s reputation and seriously undermined efforts to demonstrate our local companies’ skill and capacity to provide a service that is second to none.
Fortunately, for the two companies this was merely a dress rehearsal for the bigger deal set for July 31 when potentially six million voters could turn out to exercise their right to choose the next Government.
Buy Zimbabwe hopes that both ZEC and the said printers have learnt key lessons and are now in a position to show that local institutions have the skill, capabilities and competencies to manage the exercise and provide a service that is to be envied by all around the world. We also hope that as these parties plan for the exercise due in a few weeks’ time, they will build in the necessary standby arrangements in terms of communication and contingencies when things do not go according to plan.
While the question of electricity is indeed a national problem and Zesa must get its act together, many local companies have long realised that one cannot afford to rely solely on electricity but should have back-up such as generators.
While the two printers can afford to proceed to disappoint on other less important programmes, they simply cannot be allowed to do so when it comes to national elections.
ZEC, however, must bear the ultimate responsibility, because apart from making a great decision to show faith in local institutions it should also have established the competency of local institutions that it was contracting to do the job properly and efficiently.
Buy Zimbabwe has continuously noted that being local should not be a substitute for mediocrity. In fact, it must mean a commitment to excellence.
We have repeatedly advised on the need to use organisations and institutions that have passed the test in terms of price, quality and track record. In South Africa, where the black empowerment programme has now been entrenched as part of local procurement initiatives, it has become convenient for friends and relatives to pass jobs to one another without due regard on ability to perform.
As a result a number of well-meaning local companies and blacks have been tainted by corruption charges after unduly benefiting from a system that does not promote professionalism, service delivery and excellence.
It is therefore critical that as we focus more on local procurement as a means to unlocking opportunities for local persons, creating jobs and wealth for Zimbabweans, we put in place mechanisms that select the best, monitor their performance and provide incentives for superior performance.
We will be glad to work with ZEC because we have invested significantly in the identification and mentoring of top local companies for purposes of ensuring that decisions such as the ones they took are not used to unfairly judge our entrepreneurs. Other companies that also seek to go local are equally advised to desist from going solo in their well meaning endeavours.
To ensure that we play our part in continuously reminding our country that in our midst we have zones of excellence as well as promoting awareness of local companies, Buy Zimbabwe will launch its awards programme and an index that tracks and monitors behaviour of local companies soon after election.
We hope that both the local procurement index and Buy Zimbabwe awards will bring more transparency and contribute to exposing institutions that are well run and competent. The awards and index will also seek to identify and reward organisations that procure goods and services locally.
It will also show that buying local is by no means an event, but a painful and long journey full of traps and learning curves.
For now, it is our hope that as we go for the July 31 elections, ZEC has learnt its lessons and is already on the ground working with the printers to ensure that the forthcoming harmonised elections are not dented by the unavailability of ballot papers.
We hope too that ZEC has learnt that pursuit of good things must be supported by proactive communication.
While the organisation did well to explain what went wrong, it did so when the damage had already been done. Hopefully now, they will provide timely updates that will keep the nation informed of progress ahead of scheduled programmes.
God bless and till we meet again kindly be reminded that Buying Zimbabwe should never be a call to sub-standard offerings but an opportunity to demonstrate local skills, expertise and excellence.
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Online Reporter