WE CAN’T GO INTO 2021 ELECTIONS USING THE CURRENT VOTERS REGISTER
And this is why:
1. There are an estimated One Point Five Million (1 500 000) dead people on the current voters register. This has to be cleaned up.
2. We currently use one thump print as a security feature and ECZ is introducing a 10 finger security feature to enhance security and credibility of the voters role.
This is why everyone must register afresh because you can’t use the new enhanced security features on the old register. It can’t work. It’s like trying to play a CD using a 2 Band Radio. It can’t work.
3. There are lots of delimitations that have been done. New districts, new constituencies have been created and all these must be aligned to ensure that no one is disenfranchised.
And the only way to make sure that no one is disenfranchised is to have everyone register afresh.
4. Further, more polling districts and streams will be introduced and it goes without saying that everyone must be captured and realigned. The only way to do this is to create a new voters register.
In view of the above, the issue of maintaining the current voters register and just adding up the new voters is not practical.
It is not practically possible to add new voters to the old current voters role because:
a) The old security features are not compatible with the new ones. Further the current system and biometrics requirements and the old system and biometrics requirements are completely different, so it is a non starter to add new voters to the old register.
b) The creation of new constituents, new districts among others means that keeping the old register will automatically disenfranchise some people.
Let us all just register and vote. Simple.
Allow ECZ to do its job in peace.
The author, Antonio Mwanza is PF Deputy Media Director.