Zim electoral commission criticised over design of ballot papers
The presidential ballot paper features two columns, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa at the top of the second one.
HARARE - Experts in Zimbabwe have slammed the electoral commission over the design of the presidential ballot paper to be used this month.
The ballot paper features two columns, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa at the top of the second one.
Zimbabwe’s Electoral Act says candidates on the presidential ballot should appear in one column, in alphabetical order.
Zimbabwe has an unprecedented 23 candidates for the poll on 30 July.
The electoral commission says to save paper, it split the candidates into two columns.
The Zimbabwe Election Support Network, an independent watchdog, says the design raises the fear this was done to give the president an unfair advantage.
It says this could fuel allegations of bias and ultimately affect whether the election results are accepted.
The noise about the design of the ballot paper is an insult to Zimbabwe's high literacy rate.
— Tanaka (Fitz) (@Duke_fitz) July 19, 2018
If someone is going to vote for Chamisa he will vote for him regardless of the fact that ED is at the top unless you are saying our people cannot read @matigary @Mavhure @TrevorNcube pic.twitter.com/Gjvfw4aQjL
Dear @ZECzim
— I Am An African (@perseverancem) July 18, 2018
One day #Zimbabwe will be free and we will hold you to account. Everything you are doing is against the people of Zimbabwe but protecting the interests of the few. Some of the things like the ballot paper design,the voter's roll defies logic. pic.twitter.com/qOVPBOjmJO
(Edited by Thapelo Lekabe)
