Election nominations, inspection & voter registration extended by a week

By Tererai Karimakwenda
06 February, 2008

The government has announced that the Nomination Courts that were scheduled for Friday February 8th, have been moved to Friday February 15th. This is for registration of candidates seeking to run in the presidential, parliamentary and council elections on March 29th.

According to the state’s Herald newspaper, the date was changed following requests by ZANU-PF and both factions of the MDC for more time to select candidates. But there are others who believe the extension was granted to facilitate the ruling party itself, after many of their cabinet members, MPs and senators lost to newcomers in the party primaries over the weekend. They say ZANU-PF needs more time to re-organise its structures before the elections.

An urgent High Court application for postponement had also been filed by independent MP Jonathan Moyo and former opposition leader Margaret Dongo, seeking more time for candidates to prepare. This case will no longer require a hearing.

Meanwhile the deadline for inspection of the voters’ roll and registration, which was originally Thursday February 7th, has been extended by a week to Thursday February 14th. The country’s election watchdog, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN), had complained that the time allowed for inspection was far too short, given that new constituencies and wards were created countrywide.

Rindai Chipfunde from ZESN said the new deadline means voters have more time to go and make sure their names are on the voters’ roll.

Chipfunde urged all voters to also check which ward they are due to vote in, because many changes were made through the delimitation of constituencies. She said all Zimbabweans should exercise their democratic right to vote, even if they feel the playing field is not level. It is the only peaceful way to remove or retain leaders.

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) are offering legal services to voters. They have set up help lines for anyone who has been denied the right to register to vote or found their name missing when they inspected the voters' roll. The lawyers will also assist those who have been denied access to information about the constituency and/or ward in which they are to vote.

Those who are already registered should still go and inspect the voters’ roll to make sure their details are correct.

Whatever you are checking or if you are registering you must bring proof of residency. People renting need to supply a letter from their landlord and should attach a utility bill. A simple letter without a bill is not considered proof of address. The documents that are needed to register or to inspect the voters’ roll are an I.D. and proof of residence. A passport, drivers’ license or the metal identification cards will be accepted as I.D.