THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has said electoral
activities remain banned following the introduction of lockdown measures by the
government to curb the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19).
According to a statement issued by Zec chief elections officer
Utoile Silaigwana, the Commission will come up with an electoral practice
policy.
“The Commission would like to remind the public that those
electoral activities that require gatherings remain suspended to avoid
violating lockdown measures currently in place,” Silaigwana said.
He further said this was in line with a Covid-19 electoral
practice policy that will guide all the key stakeholders on how to conduct
themselves during the holding of elections in this era of the Covid-19
pandemic.
“The Commission would like to advise its stakeholders to be
patient while it finalises a draft on the Covid-19 Electoral Practice Policy
that will guide electoral staff, the electorate and other stakeholders on how
to conduct themselves before, during and after electoral processes to avoid
contracting the novel coronavirus.
“The policy will also clearly spell out activities that
will be conducted by the Commission during the current level 2 lockdown period.
It is important to note that before the policy is implemented, stakeholders
shall be consulted in the spirit of transparency and inclusivity,” he said.
He said the suspensions of by-elections and other electoral
activities was done in compliance with executive presidential powers invoked as
a result of global Covid-19 pandemic.
“It therefore follows that the by-elections were suspended
in terms of the Covid-19 regulations and not in terms of the Electoral Act and
its stipulated timeframes as some sections of society would like to believe.
“Again, it should be noted that by-elections were suspended
and not postponed which means that they will be conducted when lockdown
restrictions have been relaxed to allow such activities to resume without
posing a danger to the health of those involved,” Silaigwana said. Daily News
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