Challenge the electoral process, not the outcome

Challenge the electoral process, not the outcome

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By Torby Chimhashu

ZIMBABWEANS go to the polls on March 29 to elect a new president, senate and a new parliament.
The elections, which have been referred to as watershed by many people, come at a time when the country is facing its worst economic crisis since gaining independence from Britain in 1980.

There is every reason for millions of voters to look forward to these elections, especially, the presidential plebiscite, as it accords them the chance to change the country’s direction.

Amid the anticipation, there are growing fears that the 2008 elections, being held jointly for the first time, present the sternest challenge to the country’s electoral body as the electoral process in riddled with many irregularities.

In the words of a leading lawyer, the electoral process has become a minefield to navigate for both the voters and the organisations involved in voters’ education campaigns.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), according to the Electoral Act, is the management body entrusted with overseeing the conduct of elections and to direct and control the registration of voters. It is also responsible for providing voter education.

But the ZEC, in reality, has left the Registrar General’s Office to direct and control the registration of voters.

Visits to various centres in Harare where voters are inspecting the voters roll, have revealed that it is officers from Tobaiwa Mudede’s office and police officers who are stationed at these places.

What presents challenges is the inertia or at worst, the lackadaisical attitude of the ZEC in announcing and prominently highlighting the new changes to the electoral system brought by the amendments to the Electoral Act and the delimitation exercise.

Changes have been made to existing constituencies in the urban areas, especially in the parliamentary seats.

The introduction of wards, a first in the parliamentary elections, has presented the electorate with headaches.

Voters in any constituency are now required to vote in their ward as opposed to any polling station in the same constituency.

What this means is that if there are 10 polling stations in one constituency but falling out of a demarcated boundary or ward, voters in this constituency won’t vote as long as their ward is out of range.

Consequently, voters in a ward that might be nearest to a polling station falling out of the boundary would then be required to go to the nearest station falling within their ward.

In checking the wards, this writer witnessed that the nearest polling station within the same ward, as a result of changes, can be found in a new constituency which is not physically within the old constituency. In most cases, one is forced to travel from their nearest polling station, to a polling station that is found in their ward.

This now requires more travel and time.

It’s frustrating!

This is disenfranchising voters!

A clear case is Glen Norah constituency which has now been divided to overlap into new constituencies – Highfield West, Glen View and Harare South.

There is no longer Glen Norah constituency but many voters in this area are not aware of the changes.

What they have done is to check their names on the voters roll but without being told they now fall into a new constituency and as such are required to check the ward they will vote from.

Incumbent Priscilla Misihairabwi Mushonga sent out fliers to voters in her old constituency this week, advising them of the new changes.

But this is not only a problem in Glen Norah. Many would-be voters in urban areas face the same problems.

Voting from wards was only used during the council elections.

So, the excitement that has been generated by among things the announcement by Zanu PF politburo member and former cabinet Minister Simba Makoni, that he will contest President Robert Mugabe on March 29, might turn into frustration on election day.

There is need to educate the voters on the changes brought by the delimitation exercise.

More information is needed on how people will vote in the senatorial elections as these now include expanded constituencies, in urban areas.

What is surprising and disturbing is that the ZEC has remained silent, clearly abdicating its role of providing voter education.

It has not publicly explained how it hopes to cope with recruiting new staff and at the same time run the election without frustrating the process.

The other civic body – the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) - while it is involved in educating the public about voting, cannot go ahead of the ZEC as the Act prescribes the conduct of elections.

ZESN efforts are juxtaposed against the duties of the ZEC to conduct voter education.

Given the problems highlighted here, many Zimbabweans will face difficulties to cast their votes.

It is sad that political parties are spending time questioning the legitimacy issues without interrogating the electoral process itself.

When the wooden boxes that would be used in this election as opposed to translucent boxes, are thrown away after 14 days of the election, Zimbabweans will cry “votes were rigged”.

It is not rigging that denies them the right outcome, but an irregular and flawed electoral process such as this one.
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