Fredrick Moyo
Community Tolerance Reconciliation Development (COTRAD) and Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) joined hands in a voter education exercise in ward 18, Zaka on March 11 2022, teaching and encouraging people to register to vote.
Speaking at the event, ZEC representative Lowinah Ndondo said that they were encouraging people to vote as it is their right to do so and also that they can contest in elections when their names are in the voters roll.
“I have come here representing ZEC reminding and also educating each other to vote. Registering to vote is important because if you register and your name is entered into the voters roll, you can participate and contest for a council or MP seat,” said Ndondo.
She also encouraged villagers to take advantage of the voter registration blitz second phase which will run from April 10 – 30 and reminded then to carry necessary documents needed in the voter registration process.
“Let us all take advantage of the registration blitz that is coming on the 10th to the 30th of April as the people who can assist you will be at your door step.
“The only things needed when registering to vote are your national Identity card or a valid passport and proof of residence but if you do not have the proof of residence, you can go and see the councilor or come straight to the center, there will be affidavits waiting for you,” said Ndondo.
Community Tolerance Reconciliation Development (COTRAD) Programmes Officer Ishmael Kupfuwa said they are engaging in the voter education process so that people would know how important it is to register to vote and also urged other stakeholders to partake in voter education.
“We are educating and encouraging people to vote and also I urge other stakeholders to participate in voter education so that citizens and first time voters really have adequate information about the voter registration process,” said Kupfuwa.
Larmeck Zimudza a participant at the event applauded the work that COTRAD and ZEC were doing as it is giving them much knowledge about voter registration.
“We really want to thank COTRAD and ZEC with the kind gesture they are showing to us. Many people did not know much about voting but they are really helping us in all what we need to know and I want to thank for that,” said Zimudza.
However, Alice Munodawafa, a first time aspiring voter said they find it hard to secure national Identity cards having been turned back a number of times as the number the registrar’s office is taking a day would be enough.
“The challenge that we are facing is that we are being turned back home without national Identity Cards and that is affecting us in the voter registration process and also the amount that they want is hard to find as they want the ZW $2 and ZW$5 dollar notes instead of ZW$ 20 and ZW $ 50 dollar notes saying they do not have change,” said Munodawafa.
