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Qhubani Moyo

Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has distanced itself from a video on Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) circulating on social media saying it’s not an official production.

The video had become a subject of ridicule on social media with bloggers saying it was poorly done and lacks seriousness.

Zec Commissioner Dr Qhubani Moyo said the video was a dummy and not meant for the public forum.

“There has been lots of criticism on the video because of its lack of creativity and seriousness as a tool for public awareness on the BVR process to be undertaken by Zec soon.

The correct position is that the video is not an official production by Zec for the said campaign, it was presented by some stakeholders as a dummy and was never adopted as a campaign video by the Commission,” said Dr Moyo on his official Facebook page.

“It’s unfortunate that some elements bent on tarnishing the image of the Commission circulated the video as if it was official”.

He said the Commission would soon invite experts to help Zec come up with creative videos.

“The Commission will in the next couple of weeks come up with well-structured campaign material on BVR voter education and will invite creative minds to make their contributions in line with the Commission’s participative approach on electoral matters,” said Dr Moyo.

Harare West legislator Ms Jessi Majome ridiculed the video on her Facebook page yesterday.

“How can Zec actually call this an advert for the Biometric Voter Registration campaign? Like really?”she queried.

Pretty Chaola Chavango wrote: “ge ge ge , even the voice over needs working on and is that a Seal-Kiss from a rose instrumental I hear lol”.

Tariro Makina wrote: “It’s just so depressing.”

According to Zec, Zimbabwe is set to roll out BVR to create a biometric electronic voters’ roll ahead of the 2018 harmonised elections.

Zec has conducted field tests of the two short-listed companies, Germany-based Dermalog Identification Systems and Chinese-based Laxton Group Limited, who bid to supply the BVR kits which will be used by the electoral body during the BVR exercise to come up with a biometric voters’ roll.

Zec is yet to announce which of the two bidding companies got the green light to supply the BVR kits.

Biometrics refers to human characteristics such as fingerprints, the iris, signature, face, which can be used to uniquely identify an individual.

— @AuxiliaK