Dead Zimbabweans Still on Voters Roll
Amember of the MDC-T's national executive says on inspection they found many people who died years ago were still on the voting lists.
GWERU — The state of the national voters roll is under spotlight again with a senior member of the Movement for Democratic Change led by former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai complaining the document still has serious anomalies, ahead of a council by-election in Mkoba next month. Speaking at a press conference in Gweru Friday, House of Assembly member for Mkoba, Amos Chibaya, said his party is happy that it was given the voters roll in advance of the Ward 12 by-election. But, he added that the voters roll still has many irregularities which he noted need to be addressed urgently. Chibaya, a member of the MDC-T's national executive, said on inspection, they found many people who died years ago were still on the voting lists. Chibaya said other irregularities include the inclusion of people who live outside Ward 12 and the Mkoba constituency as well as duplication of voters. Chibaya said his party will seek a High Court order to bar ZEC from accepting voter slips during the by-election, arguing that the documents were no longer necessary after their use during last year's national election. Provincial Elections Officer, Dorcas Mpofu, could not be reached for comment as her mobile phone was not reachable. The Ward 12 council seat fell vacant following the death earlier this year of Councillor Elvis Mavhondo who was a member of the MDC-T. Zanu PF and the National Constitutional Assembly have picked candidates for the by-election to be held on April 12th. Elsewhere, Gweru City council workers Friday threatened to go on strike over unpaid February wages. Speaking during a report-back meeting, Zimbabwe Urban Council Workers' Union local secretary Kudakwashe Munengiwa, said council had promised to pay the outstanding wages on the 28th of this month. But workers are angry, charging the local authority is taking them for granted. Munengiwa accused the council's finance committee of reneging on the agreed dates of wage payments and undermining the workers' union. Contacted for comment finance committee chairperson Albert Chirau could not be drawn into saying much except that the workers would get their wages.