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Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Reporter
BULAWAYO residents have said the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) should be independent from government to fully control the electoral processes. Speaking during a consultation meeting on the Electoral Amendment Bill at the Bulawayo City Hall yesterday, members of the public told a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs that ZEC should appoint its own board which would be responsible for accrediting foreign observers.
“ZEC should be independent from government. It should appoint its own board which will be responsible for appointing foreign observers, not the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” said one of the residents.
The chairperson of the portfolio committee, Jessie Majome, said by engaging the public, they wanted to get their views before the Electoral Bill was passed in parliament.
Majome said the meetings started on Friday and would cover eight provinces in the country as a shortage of funds was preventing coverage of two other provinces.
She said they would complete their consultations this week allowing them time to give feed back to parliamentarians before the bill is passed.
“It is imperative that we engage the public and incorporate their views into our report before the Electoral Bill is passed in parliament. This can also change the bill to add the views of the people,” she said.
Majome said her portfolio was the first to conduct public hearings in line with the new constitution’s requirement for engagement of the public before passing bills.
She said: “Throughout the areas we have visited a loud voice has been made particularly towards making the voters roll accessible way before elections”.
Majome said participants said the electoral bill should also pay particular interest to the rights of the disabled.
Members of the public who spoke during the meeting said the bill should guarantee that diasporans vote.
“Those who are in the diaspora should be free to vote regardless of where they are. They did not leave the country voluntarily as there are many factors that drove them away,” said a resident.
The consultative meeting was part of the parliamentary portfolio committee’s efforts to align the new country’s laws with the new constitution.
Online Reporter