- Says multiple registrations, underage registrants are common mistakes
- Confident voters roll inspections will root out the mistakes and concerns
GAZETTE REPORTER
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has moved swiftly to dispel fears of potential electoral fraud following recent reports of rejected voter registrations because of several identified irregularities.
“Misconceptions circulating on social media claiming identified cases of voter fraud linked to fake IDs are unfounded,” IEC spokesman, Osupile Maroba, said in an interview.
Instead, he asserted, the rejection of several voter registrations “was due to identified irregularities, such as multiple registrations, discrepancies between ID numbers and names, and instances where IDs were not recognised by the national ID system, including registrations of underage voters”.
Not uncommon
Regarding the extent of these irregularities, Maroba disclosed that 2,261 multiple registrations, 205 registrations by individuals not yet of legal voting age, 29 instances of IDs not being recognised by the national ID system, and 18 cases of mismatched IDs and names were among those rejected.
Asked what could have led to such incidents under the watchful eye of registration officers, Maroba responded: “Such irregularities are not uncommon during the registration process and can be attributed to oversight on the part of registration officers or voters themselves.”
He emphasised that these errors are rectifiable and assured the public that steps are already underway to inspect the voters’ roll and address any discrepancies that may be there.
Supplementary registration
Maroba urged underage registrants to wait for the upcoming supplementary registration beginning 20 May if they will have reached the legal voting age then.
The IEC has been working in the midst of a current of waning public confidence that was exacerbated by a controversial electoral benchmarking trip to Zimbabwe, a country known for its history of disputed elections.