#ElectionsZW: Implement administrative reforms to ensure credible elections, ZEC told

#ElectionsZW: Implement administrative reforms to ensure credible elections, ZEC told

Election Resource Centre (ERC) has urged the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to implement reforms that do not need Parliament.

There have been calls from various walks of life urging for electoral reforms in an effort to make elections free, fair, and credible.

ZEC on its part maintains that it has no power to institute reforms and that the powers to implement reforms lie with the executive and Parliament.

However, in a statement, ERC is of the view that ZEC can take advantage of the impending by-elections to institute administrative reforms to ensure credible elections.

‘’ERC would like to urge the electoral commission to take the opportunity of the 26 of March 2022 by-elections to implement the administrative reforms that do not require the legislature or the executive to take effect.

‘’Particularly all the elements that ensure that the electoral processes are more transparent and open i.e inclusion of stakeholders in the processes, availing the voters roll and other materials openly.

‘’Conclusively, we urge the ZEC, Parliament of Zimbabwe, the Government of Zimbabwe, Civics and Political Parties to critically reflect and agree on a roadmap on electoral reforms especially issues raised by 2018 harmonized local and international election observer missions.

‘’The scheduled by-elections must be used as a measure to test the country’s preparedness for a free, fair, and credible election in the upcoming 2023 Harmonized elections. Therefore, there is an urgent need to implement electoral reforms,’’ read the statement.

Citizens should engage their MPs over reforms

ZEC chairperson Priscilla Chigumba is on record urging concerned citizens to engage their Parliamentary representatives and demand the much-talked-about reforms.

There is a general feeling in Zimbabwe that credible elections can only come after there have been reforms. Other political parties such as the MDC Alliance, which is led by Nelson Chamisa view ZEC as partisan. MDC-T led by Douglas Mwonzora wants demilitarisation of the ZEC secretariat.

#ElectionsZW: Implement administrative reforms to ensure credible elections, ZEC told