No More Voters' Roll On CD, Says ZEC

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) insists it will not release the voters’ roll on CDs saying this will protect the document from possible tampering.

Electoral watchdogs have said that the voters’ roll can be distributed in “read-only” mode, but ZEC spokesperson Jasper Mangwana told NewsDay that the decision not to use CDs will not be reversed. Said Mangwana:

A decision to do away with CDs was already made.

That the CD could be available in a ‘read only’ mode) is not technically correct, a CD is not a data format that’s why you can write a video in MP4 format, pictures, word, or excel. The CD is accessed just like USB/DVD.

What is key is the data format of excel which can be duplicated/pirated, edited, tampered with, and can be in the wrong hands since ZEC cannot control access to a CD given to individuals or organisations.

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He added that the voters’ roll is currently available in hard copy and soon in electronic format but will not be made available on CD. Added Mangwana:

The voters’ roll is available in hard copy and soon in electronic format through a portal to adhere to the Electoral Act whose requirements do not allow unscrupulous elements to tamper with it and use it for commercial purposes.

ZEC will provide both hard and electronic copies as per the law and no more CDs for duplication, tampering with, or commercialisation of personal data.

Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) secretary for elections Ian Makone said that ZEC should make the voters’ roll easily accessible. He said:

This is very crazy. When did they amend the Electoral Act for them to be able to make such changes?

You can’t audit the roll on the portal. Which law is guiding them to make the changes? It is also of concern that even the hard copy of the roll is not easily accessible.

It costs $1 per page and has over 1 000 pages and can only be availed after 30 days of purchase.

One requires a pick-up truck to carry it from the ZEC offices. The biggest question is why all that secretiveness on a public document? What does ZEC want to cover up?