By Bulawayo Correspondent

THE Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has urged the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to extend the current voter registration blitz, saying Matabeleland region risks losing some constituencies if the exercise comes to and end on 30 April 2022.

ZEC recently embarked on a Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) blitz ahead of the delimitation exercise in August.

The voter registration blitz is expected to end on 30 April 2022.

Indications are that Matabeleland region risks losing several constituencies and wards during the forthcoming delimitation exercise due to low numbers of registered voters.

Opposition parties and civic society organizations have launched several campaigns in a bid to encourage people from Matabeleland region to register and vote.

In an interview with Newzimbabwe.com CCC Bulawayo provincial spokesperson Swithern Chirowodza said the voter registration duration blitz is very short and will leave a lot of people out.

“The 30 April 2022 Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) blitz deadline will not help matters for Bulawayo. There is a need to station BVR Kiosks in all Bulawayo high density and low suburbs. Bulawayo residents have been conscientised about the importance of BVR and its bearing to the forthcoming ZEC delimitation exercise as evidenced by the ever-increasing number of registrants we are recording daily,” said Chirowodza.

The CCC spokesperson cited Njube-Lobengula constituency where he claimed that 200 people registered to vote on a single day at a tent.

“For example 200 people registered to vote at a ZEC tent in Njube-Lobengula on 21 April. ZEC has also set up four tents in other suburbs. This is a big improvement from the last blitz which ended when people were just getting to know the importance of voter registration,”

“Instead of suspending the blitz ZEC should actually go to the communities and assist other stakeholders who are encouraging citizens to register to vote,” he said.

Chirowodza accused the police of disrupting the party’s voter registration programmes.

“Our efforts are often scuttled by police who arrest our members for going around encouraging citizens to register to vote. We therefore plead with residents to register to vote so that Bulawayo’s interests are protected,” he added.