NOTHING NEW
It is not the first time that an alarm has been raised concerning the care of voter registration books.
In the 2019 general elections, Morgan Moseki, a UDC parliamentary candidate then, vehemently objected in a letter dated July 31, 2018 to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), to the keeping of voter registration books by registration officers throughout the duration of the voter registration period.
In anticipation of the 2019 general elections whose registration exercise was pencilled for 3rd September to November 11, 2019, a concerned Moseki, wrote a letter to the secretary of the IEC. In the letter, Moseki, a legal practitioner, was not at ease with the integrity of the registration process.
“As an interested party or stakeholder, I seek certain assurances from your office that the registration which begins on the 3rd September 2018 and any other shall be conducted in a manner which reflects what is generally envisaged as a transparent, free and fair poll,” wrote Moseki, who was not and is still not happy with the provisions of Section 4 (3) of the Electoral Act which, in his view, was prone to abuse.
Section 4 (3) of the Electoral Act reads, “Registration and election officers shall execute and perform the powers and duties conferred upon them by this Act in accordance with such instructions as they may be given by the secretary.”
According to Moseki, such instructions included the keeping of the registration books in the custody of temporary and inexperienced registration officers through the registration process which tempt some unscrupulous persons with the connivance of registration officers to manipulate the registration process.
According to Moseki, the provision could not have envisaged a situation which would give rise to permitting registration officers to keep registration books in their custody at their homes for the entire duration of the registration process which runs counter to the running of a free and credible registration process.
“In light of this, I wish to be assured as a voter and candidate for the 2019 general elections that, the 2019 general election registration officers will be people of the utmost integrity,” pleaded Moseki, who contended that to safeguard the integrity of the vote, the daily registration exercise must start with a record that reflects the first registered voter and ending with that of the last registered voter every day until the whole process is completed.
Moseki is also against the keeping of the voter registration books in the custody of the registration officers who keep the books in their residences as is the norm. At the time, Moseki suggested to the IEC that the books should be under lock and key in the elections office.
In his view, “many are surprised that an issue as sensitive as an election process is conducted in such a cavalier manner.”
An IEC response dated August 17th 2018 in the form of a letter to Moseki assured the politician that when employing registration officers, they are taken through a comprehensive process, with the aim of getting officers of high integrity.
“The offices are further trained rigorously on the relevant provisions of the registration process. Given the vastness of our country against the availability of resources and infrastructure, it is practically impossible to have the registration books kept in the manner you suggest,” the IEC wrote.
In the 2019 general elections, Morgan Moseki, a UDC parliamentary candidate then, vehemently objected in a letter dated July 31, 2018 to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), to the keeping of voter registration books by registration officers throughout the duration of the voter registration period.
In anticipation of the 2019 general elections whose registration exercise was pencilled for 3rd September to November 11, 2019, a concerned Moseki, wrote a letter to the secretary of the IEC. In the letter, Moseki, a legal practitioner, was not at ease with the integrity of the registration process.
“As an interested party or stakeholder, I seek certain assurances from your office that the registration which begins on the 3rd September 2018 and any other shall be conducted in a manner which reflects what is generally envisaged as a transparent, free and fair poll,” wrote Moseki, who was not and is still not happy with the provisions of Section 4 (3) of the Electoral Act which, in his view, was prone to abuse.
Section 4 (3) of the Electoral Act reads, “Registration and election officers shall execute and perform the powers and duties conferred upon them by this Act in accordance with such instructions as they may be given by the secretary.”
According to Moseki, such instructions included the keeping of the registration books in the custody of temporary and inexperienced registration officers through the registration process which tempt some unscrupulous persons with the connivance of registration officers to manipulate the registration process.
According to Moseki, the provision could not have envisaged a situation which would give rise to permitting registration officers to keep registration books in their custody at their homes for the entire duration of the registration process which runs counter to the running of a free and credible registration process.
“In light of this, I wish to be assured as a voter and candidate for the 2019 general elections that, the 2019 general election registration officers will be people of the utmost integrity,” pleaded Moseki, who contended that to safeguard the integrity of the vote, the daily registration exercise must start with a record that reflects the first registered voter and ending with that of the last registered voter every day until the whole process is completed.
Moseki is also against the keeping of the voter registration books in the custody of the registration officers who keep the books in their residences as is the norm. At the time, Moseki suggested to the IEC that the books should be under lock and key in the elections office.
In his view, “many are surprised that an issue as sensitive as an election process is conducted in such a cavalier manner.”
An IEC response dated August 17th 2018 in the form of a letter to Moseki assured the politician that when employing registration officers, they are taken through a comprehensive process, with the aim of getting officers of high integrity.
“The offices are further trained rigorously on the relevant provisions of the registration process. Given the vastness of our country against the availability of resources and infrastructure, it is practically impossible to have the registration books kept in the manner you suggest,” the IEC wrote.
