No special voting for journalists

Prosper Ndlovu Senior Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has said media practitioners are not eligible to participate as voters in next week’s special poll.
Responding to calls by the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) to have journalists registered for special voting, ZEC deputy chairperson Mrs Joyce Kazembe said the arrangement was not provided for in law.
“There is nothing like that. That is not in the law and we cannot change the law now,” said Mrs Kazembe.
Special voting is provided for in the Electoral Act to cater for electoral officers, mainly those from the security  forces, who would be posted to stations outside their wards.

On Friday, ZUJ secretary general Foster Dongozi said the union was planning to challenge ZEC in court over the issue with the view of having journalists taking part in the process.

According to Section 73 and 81 C of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) registered voters who wish to be considered for special voting should apply.
ZEC stopped receiving applications for special voting on 30 June.
Mrs Kazembe, however, said accreditation of journalists has started.

“The process of accrediting journalists is on as we speak. You just have to go and register and there is no need to apply. You only need to produce your accreditation card from Zimbabwe Media Commission and pay $10,” she said.

Hundreds of local journalists would be deployed across the country by their media houses to cover the elections on 31 July.
ZEC has already set 14 and 15 July as the days in which special voting will take place in the 209 voting centres countrywide.

Local media houses usually implement special coverage plans for such important events, which often see journalists being deployed to remote areas.

According to ZEC, eligible electoral officers are required to apply for this special facility 16 days before the ordinary election date.
Specific ballot papers would be made for them and put in envelopes which would be sealed to preserve the secrecy of their votes before being sent to their respective wards.