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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
GOVERNMENT is going back to the drawing board to find a solution following failure by many people to register as voters after failing to produce proof of residence.

Addressing the Zanu-PF leadership which included Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa and party supporters at Fair Acres Arda Estate in Zhombe yesterday Zanu-PF secretary of administration, Cde Ignatius Chombo said reports from the ground indicate that people were facing difficulties to register under the new Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) system.

He said many people were being turned away without registering because they do not have proof of residence.

“The voter registration programme is going on well but there are some challenges facing the people mainly to do with the issue of affidavits for proof of residence. Some people have been turned away. So we are going to sit down and look into the problem and see how that problem can be addressed,” he said.

Cde Chombo who is also the Minister of Finance and Economic Development said the voter registration programme was targeting 5,5million people.

He said the target was achievable if all people over 18 years went and registered.

Cde Chombo said the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) was starting afresh the registration of voters, a development he said meant that even those who have been voting since 1980 should go and register afresh.

“This voter registration programme by Zec means they are starting from the scratch and we are targeting 5,5million people over 18 years. This means everyone should go and register since Zec no longer has old names. Those who say they have been voting since 1980 should register because they will be disappointed when they find their names missing come elections day,” he said.

Cd Chombo said patriotic Zimbabweans should take a leading role by registering. He also said in two weeks’ time, party provincial chairpersons will meet in Harare to give an update on the registration of party members.

“Zanu-PF should win the 2018 election by a landslide and it’s only possible if the members go and register and vote. So we call upon every party member to go and register and vote for President Mugabe and Zanu-PF. Provincial chairpersons are coming to Harare in two weeks to give reports on the current registration programme. We want positive results,” said Cde Chombo.