Staff reporter

The country’s electoral body, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), will run a 10 day voter registration blitz from 12 to 21 March 2023.

ZEC indicated that a $130 billion budget has been tabled to conduct the 2023 Harmonized General Elections.

Political analyst, Nigel Simango, commended ZEC, saying the electoral body activity was in tandem with the constitutional dictates as it enlightens voters and affords potential voters an opportunity to register.

“The voter registration blitz will provide an opportunity for new registrants as well as those voters who seek transfers to do so. ZEC will also use the blitz to resolve any disputes, concerns, matters of grievances relating to the electoral process especially after the recently published Delimitation Report,” said Simango.

A snap survey by this publication revealed that a number of people especially the youths were grateful to ZEC for affording them another opportunity to register to vote.

Miss Charlene Mutausi, a Psychology major student at the University of Zimbabwe, expressed gratitude over the exercise saying it had cleared the air on street talk that voter registration had come and gone.

“I am very excited for being given another chance to go and register to vote for the leader of my choice and for the development of my country. The blitz also dismissed Street rumours that voter registration had been closed and that only those currently appearing on the voters roll would be allowed to vote.

“The registration exercise is also a sign that our country is a peaceful nation as evidenced by being given a platform to express our views in a democratic manner,” said Mutausi.

Meanwhile, ZEC chief elections officer, Utloile Silaigwana, said a final elections roadmap was being crafted and would be shared with the public once President Emmerson Mnangagwa proclaimed the election date.