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nothing controversial about the number of police officers who applied to cast special votes next week as the process would be open to observers.
About 69 000 officers from the Zimbabwe Republic Police form the bulk of 87 000 people expected to cast the first votes of Election 2013 under the special voting facility.
A total of 15 000 officials from ZEC, 2 000 from the Zimbabwe Prison Service and 140 officers from the Zimbabwe National Army are expected to vote next Sunday and Monday.
The generality of Zimbabweans will vote on July 31.
Special voting takes place 16 days prior to voting day at 209 polling stations countrywide.
The Electoral Act allows members of the security services, including the army, police and prisons who will be on duty on formal polling dates, to vote two weeks before an election.
This is also in line with AU Conventions to which Zimbabwe is party.
Responding to concerns raised by some civil society organisation at a briefing in Harare, Justice Makarau said the number of police officers who applied to vote on special voting days had not been inflated.
“We are relying on the information that we have from the police that all the applicants are members of the uniformed police.
“They have given us their names, force numbers and EC numbers and that information will say they are all members of the police force,” she said.
She challenged those questioning the authenticity of the 69 000 police officers who applied for special voting to bring evidence that they were not members of the security forces.
Yesterday, MDC-T secretary-general Mr Tendai Biti queried the figure while addressing journalists.
He said according to the police payroll, the force’s establishment was far less than 69 000.
Justice Makarau said the police had not only roped in regular members but police constabularies, who are members of their reserve team.
This was confirmed by police national spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba, who said regular members of the force had always been beefed up by members of the special constabulary in all elections held since 1980.
“We are beefed up by the Police Constabulary, which is empowered under the Police Act to perform any duties performed by regular members of the force.
“And it is not only for this election but for all elections held in this country, the Police Constabulary have always helped.
“What people who are querying the special voting numbers forget is that the police will not only be performing election-related duties as the overall security of the nation is the responsibility of the ZRP.
“More so, if you look at the number of polling stations this year, they are by far more than any we have ever had,’’ Senior Asst Comm Charamba said.
Justice Makarau allayed fears of abuse of the special voting facility, saying said a lot of safeguards had been put in place to avoid abuse of the system.
“But remember you will be observing the elections, so you will see these men and women in the queue as they cast their vote in public,” she said.
She said a number of mechanisms had been put in place to address fears of abusing the special vote.
Justice Makarau said there would be no extension of voter registration since doing so would be in violation of the enabling legal statutes that provided for a 30-day intensive voter registration.
She said the voters’ roll would now be closed and any person registering beyond the deadline would not be allowed to vote on July 31 but in subsequent elections.
Online Reporter