Updating stakeholders on preparations for the referendum, Acting ZEC Chairperson, Joyce Kazembe, said because every citizen above 18 years is entitled to vote in the referendum it was imperative to have enough ballot papers at hand to cover all prospective voters.
“Some of you may wonder why so many papers were printed when the current figure of persons on the voters roll as at 1 February 2013 is 5, 592, 088. It will be necessary to have extra ballot papers available at polling stations in case arge numbers of voters turn up,” she said.
She urged observers to note and write down the number of ballot papers and their serial numbers during polling. “The sum total must match or equal the initial number of ballot papers issued,” she said.
Kazembe said, despite limited resources, ZEC remained dedicated to its mandate, adding all was on course. “To date the Commission has received $26.5 million for the referendum,” she added.
Earlier this week, Finance Minister, Tendai Biti, announced that the referendum had been allocated $31.5 million.
Kazembe said each polling station would consist of a Returning Officer and a Referendum Officers who would run the voting exercise.
“The person in charge of a polling station is called the Returning Officer and each one of the 9, 456 polling stations will consist of one such officer. The Commission expects a total of 56, 756 Referendum Officers who have already been trained on the duties they have to perform,” she said.
There will be provincial, district and constituency command centres and their locations will be published together with polling stations lists in the Government Gazette on Thursday.
The national command centre will be located at the Harare International Conference Centre.
“Voting will take place over a day’s period at all the established polling stations from 0700 hours to 1900 hours. Counting of the cast ballots will be done at each polling station after which results will be posted outside the respective polling station.
“Once the counting and transmission processes have been completed, the Chief Election Officer will then declare the results of the referendum,” she said.
Kazembe said all countries with embassies in Zimbabwe were welcome to observe the referendum.
“With the exception of one organisation that has been charged with serious election related offences, all those who have applied for accreditation as observers have been accredited after producing requested information as requested by the Committee.
“Foreign embassies representing governments outside Africa have been allowed accreditation of five members each who are not Zimbabwean nationals,” she said.
Zimbabwe last held a constitutional referendum in 2000, where political parties and civil society successfully lobbied for a “no” vote after government hijacked the constitution-making process.
The proposed new constitution, which the major political parties have adopted, will replace the 1979 Lancaster House charter that has to date been amended 19 times.
Post published in: News