Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo [email protected]
THE handover of voter registration and voters’ roll management functions from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to the Civil Registry Department is aimed at creating a common understanding of the transition, clarifying operational arrangements and ensuring uninterrupted services to the public.
Speaking at a handover and takeover workshop for officers from the two institutions in the Southern Region, ZEC chief elections officer Dr Simbarashe Tongayi said the success of the transition would depend on cooperation, teamwork and inclusive planning.
The workshop is being held at a Bulawayo hotel and is aimed at bringing together provincial and district officials from ZEC and the Registrar-General’s Office to map out the transition process.
Dr Tongayi said the responsibility for voter registration had been transferred to the Registrar-General’s Office, making it imperative that the process did not disrupt services to the public.
“These provincial and district engagements are therefore intended to bring together the relevant structures of ZEC and the Registrar-General’s Office to create a common understanding of the transition, clarify operational arrangements, identify areas requiring joint attention and establish effective working relationships between officers of the two institutions,” he said.
He said the engagements were guided by Government’s Whole-of-Government approach, which calls for State institutions to work in a coordinated manner towards common national objectives.
“The transfer of voter registration provides an opportunity for ZEC and the Registrar-General’s Office to operationalise this approach by working collaboratively, notwithstanding their respective institutional mandates,” said Dr Tongayi.
He said other Government ministries, departments and agencies had been invited to participate in the process to ensure that all relevant stakeholders contributed to a smooth transition.
“For this reason, we have invited other MDAs to be part and parcel of this meeting so that they will assist us in the process. We have the ZEC Commission, Ministry of Information, Office of the Minister, Justice, so that we put our heads together,” he said.
Dr Tongayi said the transition involved more than simply transferring equipment, infrastructure and systems between the two institutions.
He said the effective transfer of institutional knowledge and technical expertise would be equally important, as would the ability of officials from the two institutions to work together at national, provincial and district levels.
“Provincial and district leadership therefore have a critical role to play in creating an environment of cooperation, mutual respect, effective communication and teamwork,” he said.
Dr Tongayi said the ultimate objective was to ensure that members of the public continued accessing voter registration services without interruption.
“The function is transferring, but the service must continue. We must work together as one coordinated team to ensure a smooth transition and uninterrupted voter registration services,” he said.
