The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has been accused of colluding with Zanu PF to conduct private voter registration campaigns targeting ruling party supporters only.
Zanu PF says it is targeting five million votes to ensure an outright win in the upcoming elections where President Emmerson Mnangagwa is seeking re-election.
This publication established that the ruling party has been commandeering Zec to settlements where it is targetting potential new voters for private registration.
Zanu PF has also been assisting so called stateless citizens, mainly of Mozambican and Malawian origin, to obtain Zimbabwean identity documents in order for them to be eligible to vote.
An estimated 300 000 people in Zimbabwe are considered stateless.
The group comprises descendants of migrant workers from southern African countries, including Malawi and Mozambique who were brought in by colonial authorities to work on farms before the country gained independence in 1980.
Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa confirmed to The Standard in an interview that the ruling party “coaxed” Zec and the Registrar General’s office to conduct private registration processes in various areas.
Mutsvangwa also admitted that the party has been facilitating registration of stateless citizens to obtain citizenship to register as voters.
“Through our cell verification programmes, we realised there were some pockets of areas where people were not registered,” he said.
“We then signalled or alerted Zec and the Registrar General’s office that these areas are not registered.
“We facilitate and enable those who identify with our party to go and get registered. It's a way of getting their loyalty to our party.
“We hope they will pay their allegiance to the party.
“Where possible we coax or cajole the government to go and provide the facilities, which they should do anyway.”
Zec closed the registration blitz on March 26, and announced that voter registration would only happen at its 68 district registration centres and 10 provincial registration centres across the country.
On Wednesday in Mhondoro, however, Zanu PF summoned Zec and the Registrar General’s office to register people, who were gathered for the official opening of a hospital.
“What we do is we point out where we know there are a few registered people, like what we did on Thursday in Mhondoro, Mubaira we were having the opening of a hospital by Zimplats, we called Zec and the Registrar General’s office to be present so that those who came and attended and did not have IDs got registered by Zec,” Mutsvangwa added.
“There is no bias there, if the MDC want, they can also go and ask Zec to have their people registered.”
The opposition has previously accused Zec of deliberately frustrating the registration of aspiring voters in cities and towns.
According to the opposition, voter registration in cities and towns is deliberately slow with officials at the electoral body accused of chasing away voter registrants.
Asked why Zec was setting up registration centres at Zanu PF's command, Zec deputy chairperson Rodney Kiwa said the matter was political.
“Why do you ask me about politics?” Kiwa asked.
“That is politics. You are a very young kid and you want to teach me politics. I will not fall for that.
“I will not respond to that. I do not talk politics (sic).
“Never! Zanu PF is a party that can respond on its own. I am not its spokesperson.”
Kiwa said the voter registration process is still ongoing at all the 68 registration centres and the 10 provincial centres across the country.
“The registration blitz was facilitated for all eligible voters to register,” Kiwa said.
“It was in response to political parties, that had their supporters who wanted to register to vote.”
Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere accused Zanu PF of abusing state institutions, especially Zec.
“Their desperation is causing them to resort to illegal, embarrassing and brazen electoral malpractices,” Mahere said.
“The attempt by Zanu PF to ensure that the vote is suppressed in areas where they know they’re weak while encouraging the vote to be facilitated where it perceives itself to be strong demonstrates beyond any doubt that they have lost popular support.
“They are bent on rigging because the data says that CCC and president (Nelson) Chamisa will win."
Zimbabwe Election Advocacy Trust executive director Ignatius Sadziwa said Zec must be investigated.
“Voter mobilisation for registration by political parties is permissible at law and we applaud political parties for such efforts. However, it is criminal for Zec to enter into special arrangements with certain political formations to do a voter registration blitz outside stipulated dates for such exercises,” Sadziwa said.
“The matter needs to be investigated because it is a serious breach of the Electoral Act. Zec has to operate within the confines of the law.”
Mnangagwa said he would proclaim election dates at the end of next month.