“Biometric Voting to Block NIKUV Rigging” By Elton Mangoma
5 February 2016
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By Elton Mangoma| There has been talk of a possible introduction of a Biometric Voting System or BVS in short as a way of tackling the discredited electoral system in Zimbabwe.
We as RDZ are very much against its introduction, particularly at this time and we urge other political parties and civil society to think long and hard before they indorse BVR for the following reasons:
1. BVS main advantage is to curb duplicate voting, although duplicate voting takes place, it is by far not the main methods used by ZANU PF and ZEC to rig the election. The main method used remains the people in the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and the electoral system they use.
2. BVR is a computer software system and there are a number of these systems on the market. It is still a relatively new system and not yet perfect. A computer system can fail, and BVR systems have failed before. Zimbabwe cannot afford this drama and experiment at this stage.
3. A computer system can be manipulated and very few if any of the political parties and civil society have any skill to detect such manipulation. This will be giving ZANU PF and ZEC a free hand to rig with the permission of the political parties. Colleagues, you cannot control what you do not know.
4. ZANU PF and ZEC control the passwords and any override authority. These are the very people whom the Zimbabwean people do not trust. They can alter the data at any time. Remember whoever has the authority to add a voters data, can change or delete it and none of us can ever detect it.
5. A person’s features change with age, illness and for the finger prints, with hard work, sweat and dirt. Hard work, sweat and dirt is a common feature with our hard pressed and hard working people. It is a standard for those employing biometric security systems to reset every so often.
6. Lest we forget in Nigeria last election the system failed to recognise Goodluck Jonathan the then President, a clear indication on the system’s shortfall.History tells us that where BVS has been used in Africa, voting extended to more than one day due to technical failures.
7. A computer system requires electrical power, which is extremely short in Zimbabwe. Many of the rural polling stations have no electricity and are far from any facilities. A computer can fail, power can go and any backup if any, provided, can also fail. We cannot ignore the fact that the system has a lot of technicalities, which Zimbabwe is not yet well versed with as we are still lagging behind technology wise.
8. ZANU PF are masters at intimidating the voters. A BVS accompanied by computers and the whole backup equipment, will easily be a new handy and not physically violent way of intimidating voters. In the past ZANU PF would intimidate voters using cell phones, now the BVS gadgets are more sophisticated and intrusive. The intimidation will be worse.
9. These are only some of the reasons and the above list is not exhaustive.
Way Forward
One of our principles as RDZ, it is to promote free voting which means voting in a free, fair and credible election devoid of violence, intimidation and rigging.RDZ suggest the following as a way forward in levelling the electoral playing filed
10. Voter Registration
Voter registration should be continuous as per the Electoral Act. All primary schools should be turned into voter registration centers. Every Zimbabwean has a right to vote and therefore voter registration should not be used as a way of denying citizens their right to vote. In 2013 less than 5% of the 18-25years age group were registered to vote. There has been no general voter registration for the past two and a half years. THIS IS VERY SERIOUS.In 2013, 9% of Zimbabweans were turned away as not being registered.
11. VOTING USING NATIONAL IDENTITY DOCUMENTS
If ZEC continues to fail to register voters, RDZ advocates that national identity documents be used as qualification for voting, as happened in the 2013 referendum. Wherever the vote takes place it will be counted towards the ward, the constituency and the province. It has been done before; it can be done again and is subject to less manipulation.
12. Assisted voters
In 2013, a total of 6% of the voters were assisted to vote. Included in this number were perfectly literate and able voters including teachers and nurses; all this through intimidation. Some of these signed, a proper handwritten signature on the Assisted Voters register. Many neatly placed an X on very limited space. The threshold for assisted voters should be raised and all election agents agree that a voter needs to be assisted.
13. Special and Postal ballots
The special votes and the postal votes should be tabulated separately at the ward command centre and never be mixed with the ballots at any polling station.
14. It is RDZ`s position that opposition parties should be involved in the whole voting process and this entails printing of ballot papers, serialisation, distribution, voting, auditing and placement of election agents. This would help in ensuring transparency of, and bring confidence to the whole election process.
15. Voter education should be intensified and made easier, with more players being eligible to carry it out. Voter Education should not be subjected to POSA when being conducted by political parties.
16. Political violence and intimidation should be dealt with firmly and with an even hand.
17. Equal access to state Media
18. Makarau remains both secretary of the Judicial Services Commission. This means courts are under Makarau and Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC). She must leave one of these posts to avoid conflicts of interest.
HOUSE DEMOLITIONS
RDZ is totally opposed to, and strongly condemn the past and ongoing house demolitions carried out by both the heartless ZANU PF government and the MDC-T local authorities. The stands were sold to these victims by the so called land barons, none of whom have been brought before the law. The local authorities witnessed the houses being built and did nothing at that stage. This is way past being inefficient and shows how CRUEL they are. They do not care and they enjoy when the common man is suffering.
As RDZ we propose that all these housing settlements be regularised by the city fathers. Further, housing stands should be allocated to all the married couples and single parents who need them.
RDZ stands on one of our key principles of REPARATIONS, and accordingly, all the victims of house demolitions should be compensated by Government.
Thank You

RDZ

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