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Pamela Shumba Chronicle Reporter
THE mandatory 30-day voter registration exercise comes to an end today with thousands of people in a last minute rush to register to vote in the forthcoming elections on 31 July. The aspiring voters have up to 7pm today to register to vote in the second phase of the voter registration that kicked off countrywide on 10 June.
The exercise was part of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC)’s efforts to ensure that no Zimbabwean is left out in the coming elections.
A snap survey conducted by Chronicle yesterday afternoon at different registration centres in Bulawayo revealed that there was a last minute voter registration rush as there was an increase in the number of people registering to vote compared to other days.
ZEC has deployed 16 more mobile voter registration and inspection teams in various provinces owing to a huge public demand ahead of the official closure of the intensive voter registration today.
The intensive voter registration started when President Mugabe signed the new Constitution on 20 May, but normal voter registration will continue after its closure today.
“It is hereby notified for general information that due to public demand the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has increased the voter registration mobile teams,” ZEC said in a statement said.
Four teams were deployed in Harare, two in Chitungwiza and one team each for Bulawayo, Marondera, Mount Darwin, Mazowe, Mutare, Chipinge, Makoni, Mutasa, Masvingo and Chiredzi.
Scores of people were also seen visiting the centres to check if their names were on the voters’ roll.
Bulawayo Province had a total of five teams, with each ward having between one and two mobile registration centres.
According to a programme provided by ZEC, the centres that will be open for registration today are Tennyson Primary School in Ilanda, Losikeyi Primary School in Nguboyenja, Nkulumane Community Hall, Beit Hall in Luveve and Mazwi Primary School in Magwegwe North.
Speaking in separate interviews, most aspiring voters said they were worried that they would not be able to register to vote before the end of today, considering the slow pace at the registration centres.
“We have been here since 7am and the process is very slow. The officers are taking more than 30 minutes to serve one person. I do not think that all these people queuing here would be able to register today, or even tomorrow,” said Mrs Ester Dlamini from Ilanda at Tennyson Primary School.
“Some of us were supposed to get national identification documents before registering to vote, which is also a long process when you do not have adequate documentation. That is why we are still struggling to register to vote. I just hope we will manage to beat the deadline.”
Ms Caroline Ncube from Nkulumane also bemoaned the slow pace on the part of the registration team at Mtshane Primary School, saying she had been patiently waiting to register to vote for many hours.
“There is only one person serving people and this is going to make it difficult for everyone to register to vote.
An official from ZEC who spoke on condition of anonymity yesterday said according to the law, voters who did not manage to register to vote before the deadline were no longer qualified to vote in this year’s elections.
“Registration closes on 9 July and those who would not have registered by then will not vote during this year’s elections.
“Voter registration, however, is an ongoing exercise and people can continue to register but not for this year’s elections. They will only be able to vote in the next election in 2018,” said the official.
He urged members of the public to be patient and try by all means to utilise the little time left to register to vote.
Online Reporter