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The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission on Wednesday started registering new voters and supervising the inspection of the voters’ rolls ahead of a by-election for Wedza North constituency on May 15. The by-election was called for by President Mugabe after the seat fell vacant following the death of former legislator for the area Cde Simon Musanhu, who was also Deputy Minister of Water, Environment and Climate.

In a statement, ZEC chairperson Justice Rita Makarau said they were embarking on the second phase of voter registration and inspection in Wedza North Constituency following the first pilot phase that was carried out in Chirumanzu-Zibagwe and Mount Darwin West constituencies.

“ZEC would like to inform the general public that it shall be embarking on a second phase of its test application of the second voter registration model by registering new voters who are Zimbabwean citizens, who reside in Wedza North constituency and also by opening the current constituency voters’ roll for inspection by those already registered to vote in the constituency,” Justice Makarau said.

“The commission will incorporate lessons learnt from the recent first pilot phase carried out in Chirumanzu-Zibagwe and Mount Darwin West constituencies, and in Ward 15 of the Chinhoyi Municipality.”

Justice Makarau said the commission would use the voters rolls that were used during the 2013 harmonised election as the basis of the exercise and those people whose names were already on that roll would not be re- registered.

The exercise, which started yesterday will run until March 21.

The electoral commission will hold an outreach programme following the registration exercise where they will decentralise the exercise to all wards in the Constituency from March 22 to March 28.

The exercise is being conducted following ZEC’s mandate to compile its own voters roll and registers as stated by the new Constitution.

Appearing before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs a fortnight ago, Justice Makarau, said if the pilot project succeeded, the commission would go full throttle on a nationwide registration exercise.

“We have started off with a pilot project for these two constituencies and the by-elections.

“It is our hope that once we have gotten it right in the two constituencies, then we roll out a nationwide programme to register voters throughout the country.

“Currently, we are not registering voters throughout the country. The results will guide us.”