No Kenyan election repeat in Zimbabwe-Makarau

The chair of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Rita Makarau says Zimbabwe will conduct its elections next year according to the law and will not repeat the Kenyan experience where presidential election results were nullified.

The Supreme Court of Kenya ordered fresh elections within 60 days.

The independent elections board had decided to hold them on 17 October.

Zimbabwe and Kenya have almost followed the same election pattern over the past decade with Kenya leading the way.

Kenya had controversial elections which led to the formation of a government of national unity in 2007. Zimbabwe followed suit in 2008.

Both elections were marred by violence.

Both Kenya and Zimbabwe had peaceful elections in 2013 with the ruling parties regaining control.

“The Supreme Court of Kenya has decided to set aside the presidential elections in that country for no reasons other than the elections were not conducted in accordance with the law,” Makarau said.

 “I therefore cannot overemphasise the need for us to always follow instructions. We give you instruction based on the law because we want to conduct our elections in accordance with the law.”

The ZEC is conducting a five-day Biometric Voter Registration Master trainers and Technicians’ training workshop in Harare.

The participants will be deployed to the country’s 10 provinces to train 8 500 kit operators.

Makarau emphasised that the ZEC is planning to have free, fair and credible elections.

“I therefore urge you once again to rise to your most professional levels as you carry out this important electoral task that goes a very long way towards making the 2018 elections free, fair and credible,” she said.

Makarau once again clarified that Zimbabweans could use either their metal national identity cards, the plastic cards of waiting passes, provided they had the holder’s photograph to register as voters.

“Our mission is to make it easy and convenient for all adults Zimbabweans to register as voters,” she said.

 “We are not training to know how to turn away citizens for want of proper documentation, but we are training to know how to assist all eligible Zimbabweans to register to vote.”

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