FORMER Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T party has vowed to take on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) over its delays in the procurement of outstanding software and hardware for the biometric voter registration (BVR) system.
BY BLESSED MHLANGA
Party spokesperson Obert Gutu yesterday challenged Zec to urgently set timelines for the procurement of the software.
“As a party, we are beginning to smell a rat,” he said.
“It appears Zec is blowing hot and cold on the issue of the software tender. Zec must and, indeed, should be called to order. Stakeholders need to be advised about what exactly is happening around the tender.
“Why is Zec being so dodgy about this whole issue?”
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Two weeks ago, Zec chairperson Rita Makarau (pictured) said the commission was considering advertising a tender for the procurement of software for the central database or central automated finger identification system (AFIS), but the electoral management body is yet to do so.
Gutu said opposition parties would continue piling pressure through demonstrations and court challenges to ensure transparency in preparations for next year’s general elections.
This came as civil society groups and opposition parties were lobbying Zec to allow the Chinese company, Laxton Group, which won the tender to supply BVR kits, to also supply the required software to avoid further delays in the roll-out of the voter registration exercise.
Last week, National People’s Party leader Joice Mujuru tore into Zec, saying they should find a way out of Zanu PF’s pockets.
“We are simply saying they should be transparent and make sure that they stop behaving like a captured institution when they are supposed to be independent,” she said.
The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (Zesn) also called on Zec to tie up all loose ends to ensure a clean voters’ roll before the elections.
“Zesn believes that in light of the tight timelines provided by the commission regarding the commencement of the BVR exercise, it is imperative for Zec to timely procure the software for the central database and the AFIS through an open tender,” the body said.
“In addition, there is need to procure relevant equipment such as back-up remote servers that will be stored in secure places.”