ZRP commander allay fears of vote rigging by police officers

Published: 13 July 2018

ZRP commander for this year's harmonised elections Senior Assistant Commissioner Erasmus Makodza allayed fears of vote rigging by police officers saying only those on duty on voting day qualified for postal voting.

"The Zimbabwe Republic Police wishes to set the record straight and allay fears of vote rigging by police officers as claimed in some social media messages which are circulating," he said.

"The correct position is that some police officers will be performing security duties in other provinces which are not their normal work stations. Thus in terms of Section 72 of the Electoral Act, the concerned police officers will exercise their right to vote through a postal ballot system which is being administered by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission."

He said provinces like Bulawayo had excess manpower. The excess staff would be deployed in Matabeleland North province.

"In fact the total number of police officers who applied for the postal ballot does not go beyond 4 000," said Snr Ass Comm Makodza.

"The rest of police officers will actually cast their ballots on 30th July 2018 as earlier revealed by the ZRP Command and ZEC in numerous meetings and workshop briefings. The whole process is conducted according to Section 75 of the Electoral Act, Chapter 2:13."

Those who qualify for postal voting should also be on the voters' roll. Postal voting is only open to such people who apply to do so within 14 days after the sitting of the Nomination Court.

The successful applicants are furnished with the voting material in advance and are required to send their votes in sealed packets to the chief elections officer at least 14 days before the actual date of the poll.

The chief elections officer then distributes the postal votes to their respective constituencies in their sealed envelopes within seven days of the date of the actual vote. The postal votes are further despatched to their respective ward centres before the actual poll. They are only opened for counting at the ward centre at the time of counting the votes for the ordinary poll.

Mr Biti had claimed ZEC officials were not present in Bulawayo when the officers allegedly voted. Asked who gave them the ballot papers, he responded: "They were given by ZEC purportedly in terms of Section 74 on the basis of them being postal vote applications but there have to be legitimate processes of authentication."

He said they had instructed their legal team to file an urgent chamber application today.
- the herald

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