Opposition groups raise alarm over voters' roll

Opposition groups raise alarm over voters' roll

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By Angus Shaw

ZIMBABWE'S opposition and independent monitoring groups say numerous errors on the voter rolls - including the listing of a long-dead colonial-era security minister - opens the March 29 general and presidential election to rigging.

Lawyers on Monday filed an application at the Harare High Court demanding that the registrar of voters supply opposition parties with electronic copies of the roll.

Computerised searches could allow observers to almost instantly uncover discrepancies and allay fears that doctored lists are being used to rig voting, independent monitors say.

The lawyers acted after the special Electoral Court on Thursday denied a petition by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change for an electronic list. The court ruled it was a technicality outside its jurisdiction.

"The Electoral Court should be there to deal with all electoral issues," said lawyer Bryant Elliot. "In this computer age, it has become fundamental in any functioning constitutional democracy for a political party to be provided with electronic voters rolls."

In response to a previous court order to provide copies of the roll, the registrar issued what amounted to printed copies that cannot be used for computerised checking.

Among the examples cited by critics is 50 voters were registered as residing at an address that is a hairdressing business belonging to a member of President Robert Mugabe's ruling party.

Elections in 2002 and 2005 won by Mugabe's ruling party were marred by administrative chaos, allegations of vote rigging, irregularities in voters' lists and charges that violence and political intimidation influenced voting.

This year, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network says polling stations have been allocated in a lopsided way, with more placed in less populated rural areas where Mugabe garners most of his support and fewer stations in heavily populated urban areas where the opposition is strong.

The network and other independent monitor groups also say administrative preparations for the elections so far have been left in chaos by chronic shortages of gasoline, food and most basic goods in the nation's deepening economic meltdown.

Many observers in and outside Zimbabwe blame the economic crisis on the often-violent seizures of thousands of white-owned farms that disrupted agricultural production in the former food exporter.

Mugabe blames targeted sanctions imposed by Britain and its Western allies that accuse him of violating human and democratic rights and destroying his economy.

Mugabe, 84, is facing his biggest electoral challenge since independence from former finance minister and ruling party loyalist Simba Makoni, 57, and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, 55.

Makoni draws his support from ruling party rebels and disillusioned supporters of the fractured opposition Movement for Democratic Change, mostly in urban areas. - AP
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