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Chronicle Reporters/ Midlands Bureau
THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) intends to recruit more than 96 000 polling officers that will preside over the 31 July harmonised elections. In an interview yesterday, Zec chairperson Justice Rita Makarau said the polling officers will be drawn from the Public Service Commission, parastatals, local authorities and Health Services Board in terms of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13].
She said 10 polling officers would man each polling station.
“We are looking at plus or minus 96 700 in terms of the recruitment of polling officers for the harmonised elections. The recruitment exercise has started. There will be 10 polling officers per polling station,” said Justice Makarau. She said the electoral body could increase the number of polling stations to more than the 9 449 used during the referendum.
“Zec will maintain the same number of polling stations that were used during the referendum but the number may increase depending on the situation on the ground,” Justice Makarau said.
The mandatory 30-day voter registration exercise came to an end yesterday as thousands of people were seen at the centres in a last minute rush to register to vote. The Zec officials started experiencing pressure at the centres on Monday, forcing them to close at about 11pm.
When Chronicle visited Tennyson Primary School in Ilanda yesterday afternoon, scores of people were queuing and waiting for their turn to register to vote while others were checking if their names were in the voters’ roll.
Some of them had failed to register on Thursday forcing them to return to the centre.
“The officials were trying their best to assist everybody but this place was overwhelmed by aspiring voters. I left at about 11pm and I had to come back today because I failed to register yesterday,” said an aspiring voter who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“I hope that we will manage to register to vote today (yesterday) since it is the last day to register.”
The Bulawayo provincial elections officer, Mr Innocent Ncube, said the registration centres were accommodating all those who were at the centres by 7pm. “The registration exercise ends today but due to the overwhelming number of people at the registration centres, we will not turn people away as long as they are in the queue by 7pm. Everyone who gets to the centres before 7pm will be registered,” said Mr Ncube.
“However, registration will continue at our main office and sub offices.” He urged aspiring voters to be patient, saying the electoral body was committed to making sure that they register to vote.
In Gweru, there was chaos at the Gweru District Registrar’s offices as hundreds of prospective voters tried to check their names on the voters’ roll.
By 7.30pm, two long winding queues could be seen stretching for more than 300 metres with security personnel struggling to contain hundreds more who were locked outside the gates.
A number of people were gathered outside the office premises causing more confusion to the whole process which was moving at a snail’s pace.
Some rowdy elements within the crowd were shouting obscenities at the security personnel accusing them of trying to deny them their constitutional right to register as voters.
They even threatened to beat the security officers if they failed to open the gates for them.
One man who looked to be in his 30s said he had been in the queue for more than two hours.
He said the manner in which the whole exercise was being conducted was discouraging.
“I am now tired my friend. The whole process is quite frustrating. It appears it takes more than 30 minutes for one person to complete the process.
However, I am determined to exercise my right to vote. I am not going anyway until I register,” said the man who gave his name as Given.
On Monday an official from ZEC said according to the law, voters who did not manage to register to vote before the deadline were no longer eligible to vote in this year’s elections.
He said people could continue to register but they would only be able to vote in the next election in 2018.
The 30-day voter registration exercise kicked off countrywide on 10 June.
Online Reporter