Opposition MPs First Proposed Voters Roll Shift

Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi told Parliament that opposition MPs Charlton Hwende, Tendai Biti, and Alan Markham first raised the need to shift the voters' roll from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to the Registrar-General. Ziyambi made the statement during his second reading speech on the Constitution Amendment Bill Number 3 (CAB3). Clause 2 of CAB3 proposes transferring voter registration duties from ZEC to the Registrar-General. The minister's revelation aims to counter criticism that the clause is a government power grab. Opposition MPs have largely rejected CAB3, arguing it undermines democratic principles. The debate has exposed deep divisions over electoral reforms. The core vulnerability is the potential for the voters' roll transfer to undermine the independence of the electoral process.