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BVR Machines "Turn Away" Villagers From Polling Stations

In Nkayi, Matabeleland North province, dozens of villagers are shunning the ongoing voter registration exercise because they fear that biometric voting machines will spy on their secret votes. 

(The CB News), NKAYI— In Nkayi, Matabeleland North province, dozens of villagers are shunning voter registration because they fear that biometric voting machines will spy on their secret votes. 

With little knowledge about the new voting system, most villagers — who have only been introduced to the electronic voting system recently — through the ongoing Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) believe information which they provide to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commision(ZEC) during registration is not safe. 

To make matters worse, villagers are receiving information indicating that even their votes will be spied by the BVR machines. Electronic voter registration has recently been introduced in Zimbabwe to address duplicate voting which opposition parties claim is caused by the old paper voter's role which is littered with 'dead' voters. 

Zimbabwe has been using paper and ink since 1980, a voting system which most old voters are familiar with. 

"Villagers in Sebhumane and Somthanyelo, Nkayi North Constituency are already being told that BVR machines will detect how they voted and that this party has their photos, fingerprints as well as addresses," Desire Moyo, a local activist posted on his Facebook timeline yesterday confirming reports about BVR misinformation in rural communities. 

"Where are the voter educators? Am getting worried, kukithi la! (this is my home). Those with resources help us Siyanqoba Victory to reach these areas."
 
Victory Siyanqoba is one of the organisations that were recently accredited by ZEC to carry out voter registration awareness campaigns in various communities. 
 
According to public information published by the country's electoral body, ZEC, Matabeleland Provinces, including Bulawayo, have the least registered voters in the ongoing electronic voter registration statistics so far. 
 
Although the government has launched an initiative to motivate rural citizens to register by giving out free rice to provinces that register more people, observers believe that BVR apathy is caused by lack of information, especially in rural constituencies where access to public information is difficult.  
 
Our citizen reporters were not able to obtain information about the source of misinformation or the political party behind the alleged act.
 
Although a comment could not be obtained from ZEC at the time of publication, the electoral body has in the past distanced itself from skirmishes surrounding the ongoing voter registration process. 
 Editing by Divine Dube.

Editor's note: The Citizen Bulletin is currently running #WeReportBVR, a campaign aimed at 'harvesting' citizen generated stories on election experiences. You can be a Citizen Reporter today. CLICK HERE for more details on how to send your reports.