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Umthunzi Mumvuri Trust
Monday, 19 November 2018
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Are you in a conflict zone in Zimbabwe?
Are you working towards peace but your efforts aren't getting far?
UMTHUNZI MUMVURI TRUST IS THE ANSWER!
Get in touch with us on Facebook, Blogspot, and Twitter.
Are you in a conflict zone in Zimbabwe?
Are you working towards peace but your efforts aren't getting far?
UMTHUNZI MUMVURI TRUST IS THE ANSWER!
Get in touch with us on Facebook, Blogspot, and Twitter.
Wednesday, 18 July 2018
CALL FOR PEACEFULL ELECTIONS
As we do a countdown to the general elections, please bear in mind that we are all Zimbabweans and we need each other for the development of our country despite political differences. Let us not use violence to settle our differences, let us resort to the ballot. Zimbabweans let us have respect for humanity, no life needs to be lost needlessly. Let us respect the rule of law in creating the Zimbabwe that we are always dreaming of. Peace is core to development, let us heed this call for peaceful elections.
The mainstream media might not give proper coverage to certain concerns in various parts of the country, through this platform you can tell your world your story. No voice should be ignored in our quest for a better Zimbabwe, Umthunzi Mumvuri Peace Initiative Trust is giving you an opportunity to tell the world your peace story and even report abuses and injustices happening around the country so that we bring them to book.
"Peace begins with me, peace begins with you"
The mainstream media might not give proper coverage to certain concerns in various parts of the country, through this platform you can tell your world your story. No voice should be ignored in our quest for a better Zimbabwe, Umthunzi Mumvuri Peace Initiative Trust is giving you an opportunity to tell the world your peace story and even report abuses and injustices happening around the country so that we bring them to book.
"Peace begins with me, peace begins with you"
Monday, 12 March 2018
About Us
UMA is an apolitical not for profit organisation that does human rights and peace advocacy and capacity
building in rural areas in Zimbabwe.
building in rural areas in Zimbabwe.
The organisation was formed in 2002 by victims of political violence and human rights abuses, it was founded by Mr Raphael Shanya with the aid of Reverend Mhosira and Mr John Stewart.
In 2003 the organisation was registered under the PVO act, initially it was registered as a welfare organisation that looked into needs and representation of political violence victims as well as connecting them to appropriate international organisations for assistance but over the years UMA has evolved to encompass a wide array of human rights and peace projects around the country.
The organisation has been involved in various national Peace projects as well as lobbying for the formation of the Organ for National Healing, Integration and Reconciliation.
No to Violence!
“I will Beat👊 You So Hard You will 🙏Give Up Your Zimbabwean🇿🇼 Citizenship”
Image Credits: Insider Zim
Mabvuku-Tafara legislator James Maridadi has called on the government to address the issue of violence and intimidation, if this year’s elections are to be free and fair, as there were young men intimidating people by demanding their registration slips.
He, however, said he had addressed the issue in his own constituency by threating to beat up the young men who were doing this in his area.
“The other issue I wish to raise about elections is the issue of registration slips,” he told Parliament last week.
“We have a problem in
our communities and I do not know if other Hon. Members are experiencing that especially those that are in Harare.
“I can talk about Harare because that is what I know. We have a group of people that are moving door to door demanding registration slips. I am told it is happening everywhere. Their names, identity numbers and their house numbers are taken down. That in itself is intimidation.
“I do not know who is behind this but I know it is happening in Mabvuku. Last week I was called by members in my Constituency when a group of young men was walking around collecting these voter registration slips.
“I confronted them and asked why they were collecting these voter registration slips and they threatened to beat me up. I told them that if they try to get violent with me, I would beat them so hard that they would give up their Zimbabwean citizenship.
“How many people are endowed with the power to protect themselves like me? They are not so many. So, there is a lot of intimidation before the elections. People are being intimidated into submitting their voter registration slips.”
Read the full article: http://v.duta.us/wKyU7wAA
Image Credits: Insider Zim
Mabvuku-Tafara legislator James Maridadi has called on the government to address the issue of violence and intimidation, if this year’s elections are to be free and fair, as there were young men intimidating people by demanding their registration slips.
He, however, said he had addressed the issue in his own constituency by threating to beat up the young men who were doing this in his area.
“The other issue I wish to raise about elections is the issue of registration slips,” he told Parliament last week.
“We have a problem in
our communities and I do not know if other Hon. Members are experiencing that especially those that are in Harare.
“I can talk about Harare because that is what I know. We have a group of people that are moving door to door demanding registration slips. I am told it is happening everywhere. Their names, identity numbers and their house numbers are taken down. That in itself is intimidation.
“I do not know who is behind this but I know it is happening in Mabvuku. Last week I was called by members in my Constituency when a group of young men was walking around collecting these voter registration slips.
“I confronted them and asked why they were collecting these voter registration slips and they threatened to beat me up. I told them that if they try to get violent with me, I would beat them so hard that they would give up their Zimbabwean citizenship.
“How many people are endowed with the power to protect themselves like me? They are not so many. So, there is a lot of intimidation before the elections. People are being intimidated into submitting their voter registration slips.”
Read the full article: http://v.duta.us/wKyU7wAA
Wednesday, 1 November 2017
ZESN UPDATE
1 November 2017 – The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) is observing Phase 2 of the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) exercise which commenced on 29 October 2017.
Highlights of observations under Phase 1:
Comprehensive deployment to all registration centres
Intimidation of registrants and observers
Inadequate voter education and mobilisation
Challenges with services of Commissioners of Oath who were not always present at most registration centres
Low youth turnout nationwide
Advocacy Initiatives with ZEC
ZESN has engaged the ZEC on issues arising from the BVR process since its commencement in early October. ZESN wrote six letters to ZEC between the 11th and the 24th of October appreciating ZEC’s efforts in the BVR process and also bringing attention to issues of concern noted from observation of the process. These issues include the denial of ZESN observers into registration centres, the need to provide clarity on ZEC’s plans to counter misinformation during the BVR process, the need to provide clarity of data transmission procedures, the shortage of material like VR 9 forms and equipment failure at some registration centres, reported cases of the intimidation of registrants and requests for voter registration statistics.
The following update is based on observations by observers deployed countrywide under Phase 2.
Phase 2 Update 1
Commissioners of Oath
During the first phase of the voter registration process, ZESN continued to observe that Commissioners of Oaths were not present at most registration centres thus resulting in potential registrants in need of their services returning home without registering. Having reported the various challenges that registrants faced regarding the proof of residence requirement, ZESN welcomes the proposal by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to have the ZEC supervisors accorded Commissioner of Oaths status as this will help in facilitating the registration of citizens requiring affidavits. However ZESN is of the view that the same facility should be extended to registration officials as these are the officials that are permanently stationed at the registration centers across the country.
Pre-filling of Affidavit forms
ZESN has received numerous reports of political leaders such as Members of Parliament, Ward Councillors and Traditional leaders distributing the pre-signed affidavits especially on partisan lines. The pre-filling of the affidavits needs to be investigated by ZEC and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) given that this is one of the factors that have fueled incidents of intimidation where registrants are given the pre-filled affidavits and asked to submit serial numbers on their registration slips. For instance, in Ward 17 and 19 Murehwa South, Rushinga Ward 4, traditional leaders are giving out proof of residence forms on the condition that once registered, the registrants will submit the serial numbers of their voter registration slips to the traditional leaders. Similar incidents have been reported at Iminyela Centre in Mpopoma where councillors were issuing out pre-signed affidavits and also recording serial numbers.
Challenges with BVR Kits
At the commencement of the Phase 2, ZESN received a significant number of reports of some registration centres failing to open due to the late arrival of registration officials and kits. In instances where the BVR kits arrived on time registration was unable to commence because the kits were not charged. For instance such reports were received from Zvishavane Ward 8 at Nyaradzai Hall, Mberengwa East Ward 5 and Mberengwa South Ward 27 the kits were not fully charged resulting in potential registrants being turned away as the kits were being charged. In Mberengwa East Ward 3 at Chemimwe, people did not register because the registration officials arrived around 6pm on 29 October 2017. In Nyanga South ward 28, the BVR kit only registered 2 people on the 31st of October before the kit experienced challenges with its power source.
Observers denied access to centres
Some accredited ZESN observers were denied access into registration centres by Ward registration supervisors insisting that they first report at the District offices. Observers were denied access in Zvishavane at Nyaradzai Hall in ward 8, Lundi Hospital in Ward 10 and Weleza in Ward 13 as well as at Thekwane High School in Bulilima East. ZESN through its member organisation the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights engaged ZEC resulting in the observers being allowed into the centres. ZEC should ensure that its officers facilitate the observation of electoral processes including voter registration exercise as this is crucial for promoting transparency and credibility of electoral processes.
Statistics of Phase 1 turnout
At the end of Phase 1, ZEC indicated that they registered approximately 1.2 million people, with ZESN observer reports indicating that the time taken to process registrants has improved as the operators are becoming more acquainted with the system. It is however imperative that the electoral Commission avails the number of registered voters for each ward under phase 1 which is disaggregated by age and sex to enable targeted voter education and mobilization by stakeholders such as CSOs, political parties and ZEC voter education department.
Recommendations
1. The ZHRC and ZEC must investigate the incidents of intimidation of registrants and the distribution of pre-filled affidavits by political parties and traditional leaders.
2. ZESN urges ZEC to ensure that the BVR kits are fully charged before they are transported at the conclusion of each phase.
3. There is need for standardization of operations for all BVR Ward Supervisors with regards to how they relate with observers to ensure that there are no obstructions to the work of observers during the registration process.
4. Statistics of registered voters should be availed on a daily basis to observers and interested stakeholders as a way of enhancing transparency and accountability. The electoral Commission should even consider printing and posting daily registration statistics at each registration centre disaggregated per ward by sex and age.
Facebook: Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) |Twitter handle:@ZESN1
Website: www.zesn.org.zw
#register2vote #BVRZW #usasarire #ungasaleli
PROMOTING DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS IN ZIMBABWE
ZESN Chairperson Mr Andrew Makoni: +263772234891
ZESN Vice-Chairperson Mr Dumisani Nkomo: +263779617926
ZESN Director Mrs Rindai Chipfunde Vava: +263712415902
Friday, 20 October 2017
Update from Zimbabwe Election Support Network
20 October 2017 – The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) continues to observe Phase One of the Biometric Voter Registration exercise in all 10 provinces of the country. There are six days left before the close of voter registration under Phase One and ZESN has made the following observations over the past seven days:
Misinformation on the BVR process
ZESN has received reports of intimidation, especially in rural areas, whereby registrants are being misinformed about the BVR and its purpose. Potential registrants are being informed that having registered using the system it is possible to know who they will vote for in the 2018 elections. These cases were reported in Mudzi North Ward 1, Murewa North Ward 4 and Muzarabani Ward 3 among other areas. ZESN notes that the misinformation and intimidation of citizens is a serious violation of the right to free participation in electoral process that threatens the credibility of the whole electoral process. In addition, ZESN has received reports of registrants being forced to submit their names and details such as serial numbers of voter registration slips to Ward chairpersons and other community leaders as a way of intimidating them into believing that their voting choices will be traceable in the 2018 election. ZESN therefore urges ZEC to conduct comprehensive voter education and information to ensure that citizens are well informed about the BVR process to demystify some of these shenanigans by politicians.
Lack of required documentation
ZESN observers have reported cases of people failing to register in areas such as Matebeleland provinces and other remote areas because they do not have birth certificates and national IDs. ZESN urges the government to consider waivering the fees for obtaining birth certificates in order to facilitate easy acquisition of National IDs by potential registrants especially in remote areas.
Turned away registrants
ZESN observed that some citizens intending to register were turned away on the basis of presenting defaced identity documents, for being ‘Aliens’, failure to produce proof of residence and producing wrong form of identification such as drivers’ licenses. The government must adequately publicize the procedures for regularizing the citizenship status of citizens classified as ‘Aliens’ to enable them to register to vote.
Mobile registration centres
Whilst ZESN appreciates the setting up of mobile registration centres at places like the Parliament of Zimbabwe building, old people’s homes, hospitals and institutions housing people with disabilities; the Network calls upon ZEC to adequately publicize the facilities in all the 10 provinces to ensure that eligible citizens can register to vote.
Issues with proof of residence and Voter Registration Affidavits
The Network continues to observe that ZEC Commissioners of Oaths are not always available at registration centres resulting in citizens requiring this service either returning home without registering or being charged for the commissioning of their affidavits. Instances of challenges with proof of residence were reported in Nyanga North Ward 5 Kambarami village, the Village Head is reported to be demanding that villagers who require proof of residence pay $5.
Turnout
According to statistics released by the ZEC, as of 19 October 2017, a total of 814,181 people had registered at 1890 registration centres under Phase One. ZESN has also observed that significantly high numbers have been recorded in areas like Harare and Midlands while areas like Matebeleland provinces have experienced very low turnout. ZESN observed that at Sinansengwe Business centre in Binga North ward 4 not a single person presented themselves at the registration centre on 19 October 2017. Low turnout figures were also recorded in Mashonaland East at Shamba Dip tank in Maramba Pfungwe Ward 6, only two people registered on 18 October, while at Kanzire Primary School in the same ward, only one person registered. Yesterday, at Maramba Primary school, 60 people; males 28 males and 32 females registered. Some centres that recorded high turnout yesterday are as follows: Seke Primary School in Chitungwiza South Ward 18, 252 (190 were female and 62 male), at Remembrance Hall in Mbare, 217 registered (167 female and 50 male). In Midlands at Chinyenyetu Primary School Gokwe Nembudziya, 164 people were registered on 18 and 19 October 2017.
Efficiency of the registration process:
At registration centres where ZESN has observers, ZEC registration officials are reported to be following the stipulated registration steps including correctly capturing the biometric features of fingerprints and facial photographs. At most of the centres, most of the registrants were successfully issued with voter registration slips at the end of the process. ZESN received reports of challenges with the process at Mashumba Tent Ward 8 in Bulawayo Central where names of registered people disappeared from the kit resulting in officers calling upon technicians retrieve the information which was successfully done. ZESN notes that there is no uniformity in the provision of registration statistics by registration officials with some referring observers to the provincial supervisors for daily statistics.
BVR Kit malfunction
ZESN received some reports of kits malfunction at some of the centres. On 19 October at Sango centre in Zengeza West Ward 12, the BVR kit number 0619 malfunctioned and despite efforts by the technicians to fix the challenge was said to be requiring a new power box. In Chipinge South Ward 28 at Chusuma Primary school, the BVR kit broke down and had to be taken for repairs, it stopped the registration process for the rest of the day and potential registrants eventually gave up and went back home after waiting for two or more hours. Another incident of kit malfunction was reported at Musikawamatanda in Ward 4 Chiredzi West on 18 October 2017. ZESN urges the ZEC to publicize procedures outlining how incidents such as kit failure and malfunctions are to be dealt with including protocols for data backup for malfunctioning kits.
Missing Constituency on BVR database
The Member of Parliament for Mudzi South has challenged ZEC to include his constituency on the BVR database having noted that it was missing under all the four phases. The electoral Commission is reported to be in the process of rectifying the anomaly that was highlighted by the MP.
Conclusion
ZESN reiterates its calls for citizens to turn out in their numbers and participate in this vital process. In addition, the creation of a conducive electoral environment will ensure the full enjoyment of fundamental freedoms and eliminate political and intimidation of voters. ZEC must amplify efforts in providing comprehensive and inclusive voter education and mobilisation for voter registration to increase participation and demystify the myths surrounding the BVR process.
Facebook: Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN)
Twitter handle:@ZESN1
Website: www.zesn.org.zw
#register2vote #BVRZW #usasarire #ungasaleli
PROMOTING DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS IN ZIMBABWE
ZESN Chairperson Mr Andrew Makoni: +263772234891
ZESN Vice-Chairperson Mr Dumisani Nkomo: +263779617926
ZESN Director Mrs Rindai Chipfunde Vava: +263712415902
zesn2011@zesn.net, info@zesn.net
Wednesday, 18 October 2017
Thursday, 31 August 2017
Sunday, 27 August 2017
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