New voters roll by Feb: ZEC




Justice Rita Makarau
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The on-going biometric voter registration will produce a consolidated voter’s roll by February next year, a Zimbabwe Electoral Commission official has said.

In an interview last week, Zec Chairperson Justice Rita Makarau said voter registration was progressing smoothly countrywide.

“A consolidated voter’s roll will be available by February next year. We started low on first day of the second phase, maybe because of rains, but we have picked up momentum,” she said. “We are registering around 100 000 people per day.”

According to State media report Justice Makarau said the third and fourth phases would end mid-December.

Zec is looking at the possibility of providing facilities for those who missed the main registration exercise to register.

“We are also looking into the possibility that maybe by the time we come to the close of the exercise we may have left some pockets somewhere for one reason or another so we are also coming with a mop up strategy for those who may have missed the main exercise,” said Justice Makarau.

At Chitungwiza District Office, Zec has increased the number of kits and set up two additional centres to cater for people who missed the first exercise, Justice Makarau said.

By the end of the fourth phase, all data from registration offices will be collated at Zec’s head office where a provisional voter’s roll will be compiled.

For purposes of accuracy, the electoral management body will avail the provisional voters roll for public inspection so that errors and irregularities are corrected.

The final roll will then be produced, though continuous registration will be in place.

Justice Makarau said elections were likely to take place between July and August 2018.

“If we go by the Constitution we are looking at elections happening around July or August but they can come at any day. Our aim is just to be ready,” she said.