Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change candidates have taken the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission head-on over its failure to release the voters roll two weeks after the nomination courts sat.
Under the Electoral Act, Zec is required to give candidates copies of the roll soon after confirmation of their candidature.
Kuwadzana East legislator Chalton Hwende and David Coltart (Bulawayo ward 4 council candidate) accused the electoral management body of refusing to make the voters roll available to them.
Coltart yesterday tweeted: “It has been nearly two weeks since my nomination papers were accepted. Since then, my chief election agent has made numerous requests for an electronic copy of the voters roll, which I am entitled to under section 21 of the Electoral Act. Today, we have been informed that it is still unavailable. The ‘reasonable time’ referred to in section 21(1) has long since expired. Why is @ZECzim still refusing to hand over the voters roll?”
Hwende’s election agent also faced similar challenges after visiting Zec offices to obtain the voters roll.
He tweeted: “On Friday, my election agent for Kuwadzana East constituency, Mr Wellington Mariga, went to @ZECzim to request the voters roll for our constituency. Zec refused to provide him with a copy. How are we supposed to campaign without a voters roll?”
Zec chief elections officer Utloile Slaigwana yesterday said he could not comment on the matter as he was in a meeting.
Opposition political parties, non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders have expressed concern about the failure by Zec to provide the voters roll whenever it is requested.
Last year, opposition candidates failed to access the voters roll during the March by-elections, while their ruling Zanu PF counterparts had access to the document.
Recently, the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal made by Harare North lawmaker Allan Markham, who sought an order to overturn a High Court ruling denying him access to the electronic voters roll.
Last year, Markham filed an application demanding that Zec release the voters roll in electronic format, arguing that the electoral body was acting unconstitutionally by withholding it.
The High Court dismissed Markham’s request for the release of the electronic voters roll, citing security concerns.
-Newsday