The Zimbabwean has established that a significant number of CSOs are still in the dark over the accreditation process. Last week ZEC’s Vice Chairperson, Joyce Kazembe, told The Zimbabwean that her organization had already approved and trained organizations to conduct voter education as required by law.
“Voter education has always been part of the electoral process and it is on-going. As in the past, the Commission has conducted voter education at exhibitions such as Zimbabwe International Trade Fair and at provincial agricultural shows,” said Kazembe.
But the National Association of Non-Government Organization chairperson, Effie Ncube, said his organization has not been accredited for the exercise.
“I am not aware that some organisations have already been accredited for voter education. Who are these organizations are that ZEC has accredited? We have been waiting for them to invite us to submit applications,” said Ncube, who is also the director of the Matabeleland Constitutional Reform Agenda (MACRA).
Although the law does not allow anybody except ZEC to conduct voter education, some CSOs under the umbrella NANGO have been carrying out civil education on issues related to the constitution.
Dumisani Nkomo, the director of Habakkuk Trust, said: “We are completely in the dark over the whole registration process. As an affiliate of NANGO, obviously we would want to conduct voter education but that will depend on the conditions and terms that ZEC has set. We first of all want to study these conditions and see if they are conducive.”
Godwin Phiri, the director of Intsha, said his organization was still waiting for ZEC’s application. “It appears the whole accreditation process is being done under a veil of secrecy. There seems to be a spirited effort to exclude organizations from the southern region.”
The organizations accredited by ZEC include the Association of Societies for the Care of the Handicapped and the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, which ironically is an affiliate of NANGO.
“ZESN has been invited by ZEC and this is a positive development which will foster collaboration between CSOs and ZEC. This move will also ensure that voter education is standardised,” said Rindai Chipfunde-Vava, director of ZESN, which has erected billboards around the country encouraging all those of voting age to register.
Post published in: News