HARARE – The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) on Monday launches the second phase of its mobile voter registration exercise after the first outreach in February.
ZEC registered 81,742 new voters in the first exercise which ran between February 1 and 28.
The latest campaign, which has fewer registration centres, will end on April 30.
In a statement on Sunday, ZEC said centres would open from 7AM until 5.30PM.
Masvingo province will have the most registration centres, 276 in total, while Bulawayo has the least – 81.
Prospective voters must be 18 or over. They are required to carry proof of identity – an ID card or passport – as well as proof of residence, in the absence of which they would be required to fill out an affidavit.
The latest phase of the mobile voter registration exercise coincides with a similar exercise being carried out by the Civil Registry Department to issue out IDs.
The government has lifted some of the cumbersome requirements to obtain identity cards, a cabinet minister told parliament last Wednesday.
Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, who is also the leader of government business in the National Assembly, said: “President Mnangagwa went to Tsholotsho some time. He also sent the minister of local government to the San community and they faced more or less the same problems.
“After that, a discussion was done in cabinet and he directed that everyone without a national identity document must be given one. So there is no problem, everyone, you can take anyone to the Registrar General’s office and give them the surname Biti, Biti, Biti, it is now allowed, the president has allowed it.”
Ziyambi’s comments appeared to suggest that past requirements for people to present their parents’ IDs or death certificates to obtain identity documents have been removed where one is unable to get the documents for whatever reason.
Deputy home affairs minister Ruth Mavhunga-Maboyi said there was a “waiver for those who are staying in rural areas,” adding: “We have the sabhukus, we have headmen, we have chiefs, they are going to write letters in order that these issues be addressed.”
FULL LIST OF MOBILE VOTER REGISTRATION CENTRES: Phase 2 Mobile Voter Registration Blitz
FULL LIST OF ID OUTREACH CENTRES: Mobile ID Card Registration Blitz
