“There is need to use new technology to curb rigging, especially during counting of the ballot papers at polling stations,” said the official.
“We have heard a lot of reports before whereby ballot papers are imported into polling stations or some votes disappear. CCTVs will reduce the chances of rigging as everything will be captured and no one can import or remove ballot papers,” he added.
CCTV are video cameras used for surveillance in areas that may need monitoring. They may operate continuously or only as required to monitor a particular event.
Zimbabwe Election Support Network Director Rindai Chipfunde said she was not aware of any country which applied the CCTV system during polls. Besides, she said, installing it in over 10,000 polling stations in Zimbabwe would be a mammoth task.
“The idea may be more suitable to monitor and observe the counting and transportation of ballot papers as we have heard reports of counters sleeping over ballot papers in previous elections,” she added.
Deputy, spokesperson for the MDC led by Welshman Ncube, Kurauone Chihwayi, said the use of CCTVs was a brilliant idea but could be abused to intimidate voters.
“Zanu (PF) is likely to abuse the CCTV to instill fear in the electorate. They have a history of intimidating rural voters using black and white television sets,” he said, adding that people did not have confidence in institutions such as ZEC, which he accused of being stuffed with state intelligence agents.
“The militarisation of the Zimbabwe Election Commission secretariat remains an issue of major concern,” he said. “CCTVs could be a brilliant idea in a country where there is high level of tolerance, voter secrecy, trust and respect of the electoral process but very difficult to use in Zimbabwe.”
MDC-T spokesperson, Douglas Mwonzora said CCTVs were not a good way of monitoring and election as they could scare away voters.
“What we need are mechanisms that can be used to safeguard a free and fair election such as national and international monitors and observers who can ensure a properly driven electoral process,” he said.
Mwonzora implored ZEC Secretariat to conduct itself in a professional manner and make sure it does not become Partisan. “ZEC must avoid uttering political statements and show by action that they are not partisan,” he said.
Mavambo Kusile Dawn spokesperson, Silver Bhebe, said: “The most important thing is to have a paradigm shift to respect the voting processes and avoid unnecessary actions that discredit elections.”
ZAPU spokesperson, Mark Mbayiwa said: “There has been a lot of rigging in this country, so if the counting and transportation of ballot papers and boxes are captured on film then it may deter that.”
ZEC Chief Executive Officer Lovemore Sekeramayi refused to comment.
Post published in: News