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The state of continuous voter registration in Zimbabwe
Election Resource Centre
April 24, 2012

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The Election Resource Centre (ERC) embarked on an exercise to assess the accessibility and continuance of voter registration in Harare. This was done through visits to some of the registration centres in Harare namely, Mt. Pleasant, Kuwadzana, Mabvuku-Tafara, Hatfield and Highfield. Such an exercise was necessitated by increasing reports of administrative hindrances against those attempting to register and the apparent closure of some registration centres. This, compounded by the lack of voter information on the continuous nature of voter registration in Zimbabwe as legally provided has prompted the ERC to make an evidence-based assessment and or give recommendations to the need for electoral authorities to adhere to the legal requirements allowing potential voters to apply for registration or inspect the voter`s register on a continuous basis.

The findings of the quick assessment point to a very disturbing pattern in the voter registration process, especially given that some political actors have insisted on holding elections in 2012. The ERC team noted some irregularities in the manner in which the registration centres are conducting their day to day activities. Below is a summary of the findings:

• Closed registration centres - Some registration centres like Hatfield are apparently closed for the registration centres with the officials unsatisfactorily giving reasons to the effect that the process of registering voters is yet to commence.
• Limited time for registration - There are inconsistencies in the provision of voter registration services with most registration centres allocating an average of 4 hours for the process of registering voters. This usually results in frustrating potential registrants as they often are forced to wait for long hours as the registration officials prioritize the registration related to birth certificates, national I.D.s and death certificates. Consequently voter registration exercise is treated as a peripheral issue in the centres so visited.
• Registration by coercion - There is an emerging pattern of vote buying fashioned through the sprouting housing cooperatives whereupon those responsible for allocating the pieces of land, and also happen to be known leaders of certain political parties would demand the intended beneficiaries to be registered voters first before being allocated the residential stands. Such coercion apparently exposes potential voters to manipulation by certain functionaries of political parties as well as it potentially threatens the individuals' freedom of choice and association.
• Partisan Registration - The assessment also established that access to registration services is at times administered in a partisan manner with suspected supporters of some political parties and young people intending to register facing frustrating hurdles during their attempts to register as voters.

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