Just when they thought they had countered attempts to shut them out of what is considered to be the country’s most important plebiscite since 1980, exiles told The Zimbabwean they were in danger of being discounted.
“I registered when I went home in December, but still the online voters’ roll does not show my name. I don’t know what is happening,” said Sheron Mpofu, a prospective first time voter. “I think this is a deliberate ploy to shut those believed to be supporters of Zanu (PF)’s opposition out of the whole process, but I will not allow this to happen to me. I will definitely go back and do a physical check to make sure that I am incuded. If my name is still not there, I will re-register.”
Another exile, Tapiwa Mombeshora, said he would go home to register for a second time.
“I did not believe it when I checked the online voters’ roll and discovered that my name was not there. I thought it was a mistake and asked three friends back home to do a physical check for me. They told me that my name was not there, yet I still have the receipt showing that I have registered to vote,” said Mombeshora.
Kumbirai Muchemwa, the MDC-T’s spokesperson for South Africa, said his party had received numerous complaints regarding irregularities in the voters’ roll.
“The numbers of people complaining have been increasing by the day,” said Muchemwa. “There are those who registered but cannot find their names on the voters’ role, and others who have never registered, yet their details are on the roll.”
Muchemwa said it was a deliberate ploy to “try and stop the democracy train from moving”.
“This is obviously Zanu (PF)’s rigging machinery at work,” he added.
A ZEC official, who refused to be named because she is not authorised to comment, said some of those who registered could still make their way onto the roll.
“The process is still ongoing and some of those who do not appear on the online edition could still be in the process of being added. They are definitely on the voters’ role if they really registered. I don’t know about those who say they could also not find their names in the hard copy edition,” said the official.
Post published in: News