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have been accredited by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission for the constitutional referendum set for tomorrow.The electoral body also turned away 84 aspiring local and foreign observers for failing to meet requirements.
The the inspection and sealing of ballot boxes, ZEC said, would be done at 6:30am tomorrow at all polling stations.
ZEC acting chairperson Mrs Joyce Kazembe said as of end of day Wednesday, 1 815 observers had been accredited with the number expected to rise tomorrow.
“As of yesterday (Wednesday) the grand total was 1 815 and the number will be high because the accreditation will end on Saturday,” she said.
“Harare had the highest number of people accredited with 1 454 while Bulawayo had 304 and Masvingo 57. The number of people coming for accreditation is increasing on a daily basis since the process started on March 7.”
Mrs Kazembe said several local and foreign organisations had been turned away for various reasons.
“About 65 local observers had been turned away while 19 foreigners had also been sent back,” she said.
“You will find out that some did not pay the accreditation fees while others have uncleared passports. Some organisations thought ZEC would provide money for them to perform their observation duties.”
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She would not disclose the nationalities of those turned away.
A visit to the Harare International Conference Centre yesterday showed people making last-ditch efforts to get accredited.
Mrs Kazembe invited the observers to come and witness the sealing of ballot boxes at various polling centres across the country tomorrow morning before the commencement of voting.
She said the ballot boxes would be sealed by returning officers.
“In terms of Section 54 of the Electoral Act, the inspection of ballot boxes delivered and counting of ballot papers to be used will commence at 0630 hours on March 16throughout the country at all polling stations,” she said.
“All accredited observers are invited to attend this sealing process. Failure by any observer to be present during this process shall not prevent the Commission from proceeding.”
Deployment of polling officers continued yesterday while policemen could also be seen manning various stations in Harare yesterday.
“Deployment started well around Zimbabwe and the set up at all these centres would be done by tomorrow. Everyone knows where he or she will be conducting duties required,” she said.
“All our preparations are going on well and it is our hope that nothing will come in our way until the process is complete.”
ZEC has engaged 70 000 polling officers including supervisors and returning officers.
The commission also increased polling stations from 9 449 to 9 456 after discovering new areas that needed to be covered.
Vote counting in the referendum will be done at the polling stations immediately after voting closes and the results will be displayed outside the polling stations.
Observers have already been furnished with the code of conduct during the exercise.
No one is allowed to capture pictures in the polling stations, while the use of cellphones in the station was prohibited.
Only media personnel are allowed to take pictures, but not those of people marking their ballot papers.
Provincial, district and constituency command centres have been established, while the national command centre would be located at the Harare International Conference Centre.
Results of the constitutional referendum are expected within five days after voting.
Online Reporter