d that
youths and other eligible voters perceived to be sympathetic to the party were
being denied a chance to register.
“The traditional leaders are compromised and are refusing to write such
letters for people known to be MDC supporters. That obviously means we
are being disadvantaged, because our supporters cannot register to vote,”
said Chamisa.
Chamisa also alleged that the chiefs were telling the youths that
voting was for people over 40 years.
Voters in rural voters are being asked to produce proof of residence in
order to register.
The letters are usually supplied by the local traditional leaders who
supported the ruling ZANU-PF party.
However, the registrar-general’s office, which is in charge of the
process, said there was nothing amiss with the requirements as the
national identity card or passport did not always provide current
information on the individual’s physical address.
According to the RG’s office said proof of residence had been a
constitutional requirement for registration since 2002.
In peri-urban and urban areas, where the MDC has a stronghold,
prospective voters who wished to register had to get a letter from the landlord
confirming proof of residence.
However, many Zimbabweans of foreign descent especially of Malawian and
Mozambican descent, living in urban areas are excluded from the voting
process.
Tapera Kapuya, the National Constitutional Assembly coordinator said
the electorate should not be fooled by the cheap allegations and should go
and register for the coming elections.
“These are some of the irregularities, which the Mugabe regime has been
benefiting. A new constitution should seek to make such challenges
history,” he said.
These revelations come few days after the MDC’s vice president
Thokozani Khupe in Accra, Ghana called African Union elections observers to be in
Zimbabwe four months before the elections.
Post published in: News