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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
CIVIL Society Organisations (CSOs) have said Zanu-PF is more visible on the ground while opposition parties are caught up in internal fights instead of conducting voter education programmes ahead of the forthcoming elections.
Addressing journalists at Bulawayo Press Club yesterday on observations made during the ongoing Biometric Voter Registration, the CSOs expressed satisfaction with the number of registered voters so far.
Zec is conducting a mop up biometric voter registration programme which is ending on Thursday with more than 5,2 million people having registered so far.
Women Institute Leaders for Development (WILD) director Ms Samukeliso Khumalo said Zanu-PF was the only party visible on the ground urging people to register to vote. She said supporters of opposition parties were disgruntled.
Ms Khumalo said opposion party members seem not to know the purpose of voting or the people to vote for.
“The opposition political players seem to be concerned about their party problems, the alliance, the coalition which up to now they are yet to agree on candidates,” said Ms Khumalo.
She said the opposition parties have not been seen on the ground mobilising citizens to register.
“For me, political parties except for the ruling party, have disappointed us in this process,” said Ms Khumalo.
The opposition, especially the MDC-T is divided over the formation of the MDC Alliance and the divisions worsened after its ailing president Mr Morgan Tsvangirai recently hinted on retiring from active politics.
Ms Khumalo said during voter mobilisation campaigns, her organisation noted that many people in Matabeleland region did not have birth certificates and identity cards required for one to register to vote.
Elections Resource Centre director Tawanda Chimhini said although there are concerns in some quarters over the number of people who have registered to vote in Bulawayo and Harare, statistics show that registered voters in the two cities have doubled from those who voted in 2013 elections.
He said in Harare 400 000 people voted during the 2013 elections but so far more than one million people have so far registered to vote.
“If you come back to Bulawayo Zec figures suggest that 123 000 voted in the 2013 elections and there are 236 125 that have registered to vote. Yes, I believe we could get more people to vote but I believe some of the statistics being used require some scrutiny,” said Mr Chimhini.
@nqotshili
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