‘Zec funding challenges a threat to democracy’

INADEQUATE funding to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) is a threat to democracy as it impedes electoral processes, an independent elections watchdog said yesterday.

Zimbabwe Election Support Network (Zesn) chairperson Andrew Makoni told NewsDay that government should increase funding to the electoral body so that it effectively carries out its mandate.

In the 2021 national budget, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube allocated $2,3 billion to Zec, which translates to only 19% of the $12 billion that the commission had requested for its electoral activities.

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