ZEC removes 30 000 dead people from voters roll

ZEC removes 30 000 dead people from voters roll

Pretty Manyewe

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has removed over 30 000 deceased people from the voters roll in an ongoing process of cleaning the voter’s roll ahead of the 2023 elections.
ZEC Chief Elections Office Utoile Silaigwana, in a Government Gazette published on May 31 listed registered voters who died before December 12 2017 and January 31 2022.
The total number of names struck of the role is 32 010.
“In terms of section 33(4) read with section 27(1) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13], voter registration officers have reason to believe that the persons whose names are listed in the First Schedule, and who were registered as voters for the constituencies, wards and polling stations listed therein have died. The names of those persons will be removed from the voters roll unless notice of appeal is given to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission,” Silaigwana wrote.
Those who may have objections with the list were given seven days to engage ZEC.
Explaining the process to Tateguru TV, ZEC Spokesperson Commissioner Jasper Mangwana said they have an ongoing process of cleaning the voters roll.
“The ZEC has always published the list of deceased voters before their removal on the voters roll because it’s a legal provision that the Commission must follow that procedure according to Section 33 of the Electoral Act.
We have always done this and will continue to do it as we are in the process of cleaning the voter’s roll. It actually shows that the Commission has nothing to hide and people are aware of what is happening and the changes that are happening in the voters roll,” said Commissioner Mangwana.
Over the years, there have been cries by opposition figures and civic society over alleged ghost voters on the voters roll.
Commissioner Mangwana said they are open to scrutiny as they get the list of people who died from the Registrar of deaths.
“In the issue of ghost voters, remember the Commission receives the list of deaths from the Registrar of deaths. This is where we get the list. However, individuals can also approach the Commission and say that’s they have seen their relative on the voter’s roll yet they are dead and proceed to produce a death certificate as proof, this will also help the Commission,” said Commissioner Mangwana.