The Elections Resource Centre (ERC) has raised significant concerns over proposed changes to Zimbabwe’s Constitution and Electoral Act aimed at introducing automatic voter registration for 18-year-olds ahead of the 2028 elections.

The amendments, championed by Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, seek to shift voter registration responsibilities from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to the Civil Registry Department (CRD). ERC argues that this move poses serious privacy and constitutional issues.

The proposed changes aim to tackle low voter registration rates and simplify the registration process. However, ERC, a leading election watchdog, warns that using personal data without consent infringes on privacy rights. Under the current system, individuals voluntarily register and consent to providing personal and biometric data. The new amendments, according to ERC, would circumvent this process.

ERC highlighted that the proposals violate Section 10 of the Cyber and Data Protection Act, which requires explicit consent for processing personal information. “The current proposals seem to bypass the consent requirement, raising privacy concerns around the use of personal data,” ERC noted.

The organization further argued that transferring voter registration entirely to the CRD could jeopardize ZEC’s independence, a cornerstone of Zimbabwe’s electoral integrity. ERC emphasized the importance of collaboration between ZEC and the CRD but maintained that the electoral body should retain oversight of voter registration. “The government should support collaboration between ZEC and the CRD through practice or policy changes that enable coordination without stripping ZEC of its mandate,” ERC stated.

In its recommendations, ERC urged the government to allocate adequate resources to ZEC for periodic voter registration campaigns, especially in low-registration areas. The organization also called for partnerships between ZEC and civil society organizations to enhance voter registration, citing the success of such collaborations during the 2018 mass registration drive.

ERC also emphasized the need for extensive public consultations on the proposed amendments. It called for a clear roadmap for the 2028 elections, including timelines for public engagement and a multi-stakeholder platform to ensure inclusive reforms.

As Zimbabwe moves toward the 2028 elections, ERC’s concerns underscore the need to balance streamlined voter registration with the protection of citizens’ privacy and the independence of electoral processes. The proposed amendments are expected to spark heated debate in the coming months.