Whether it was a Special Vote, or Early Vote as described by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson, it still led to a Chaotic Vote. Watching this video I note that the MDC-T Secretary General who is also the Minister of Finance, is still searching for a definition for Special Constabulary. It seems the Minister got to hear about the unit when the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission published figures of members of the police force who will be casting their ballots during special voting and yet he is the one who has been running the national payroll for the past five years. As the dispute over eligible voters in the 2013 harmonized elections in Zimbabwe gathers momentum questions are being asked about the special unit in the police force called the Special Constabulary.

According to Wikipedia, our former colonial master Britain defines Special Constabulary as the part-time volunteer section of a statutory police force in the United Kingdom or some Crown dependencies. Its officers are known as special constables (all hold the office of constable no matter what their rank) or informally as specials.

In my area we have members of the neighborhood watch committee who assist the police in maintaining security during the night and maybe they also fit into this “Special Unit” definition. The debate can go further and lead to asking questions on who is paying for the services of this “special unit” of the police force and whether we still have ghost workers our national payroll?

The Research and Advocacy Unit, “outlawed” yesterday from holding a public voter’s roll audit says an eye-popping 2 million Zimbabweans failed to have names included on the voter’s roll during the voter registration exercise, while another 1 million mysterious names appear in the register.

A young man doing some degree at the Chinhoyi University of Technology told me the other day he went along with his dad to register, and when they got to the queue they were given “tickets” with numbers apparently to ensure no wise guys jumped the queue.

But the young man complained that while his dad was given a ticket numbered 220, he was given one numbered 651, never mind that he was standing behind his dad!

He thought it was a bad joke and now he finds himself missing his democratic right to vote!

He is certainly one of many of the 2 million RAU says will not vote despite being eligible, and as Tsvangirai has said, no matter who wins, this election will not be legitimate.

How can it be when many people will not be able to vote, not because they have lost faith in the whole process of elections being the only way to determine their future, but because the system literally shut them out.

Hey! Need a job? Want to work in the NGO/development sector in Zimbabwe? Check out the job vacancies below and apply today. If you want to receive regular civic and human rights information, together with NGO job vacancies and other opportunities like scholarships by getting our regular email newsletter, please email join [at] kubatana [dot] net

Ten (10) vacancies: Centre for Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Research
Deadline: 22 July 2013

1 x Assistant Social Scientist
4 x Nurse Counsellors
1 x Outreach Worker
4 x Drivers

CeSHHAR Zimbabwe is an organization that specializes in sexual health, HIV and AIDS research in Zimbabwe. The organization is implementing a National Sex Work Programme aimed at reducing HIV acquisition among sex workers thereby reducing HIV transmission to their clients. We received funding to conduct a research that seeks to enhance HIV treatment and prevention among sex workers (SW) attending our mobile clinics in Zimbabwe. We are therefore looking for the following positions to start working on the research component immediately. Interested? Please use this link for more information and application instructions.

Social Development Officer: Local NGO
Deadline: 22 July 2013 (12 noon)

Contract: 8 months

The Social Development Officer will be responsible for coordinating and implementing social programmes, specifically
-Programme development, oversight and delivery of outputs
-Co-ordinating teams to implement components of the programme
-Planning for pre and post data collection including design of instruments, implementation of field surveys and data management
-Publication of scholarly reports on various programme components
-Presenting findings to identified platforms and sharing widely, including presenting at high level forums
-Budgeting for the programme, ensuring financial reports for the programme
-Compilation of regular progress and assessment reports
-Networking and marketing the programme
-Resources mobilisation for the programme

Skills and competencies
-Masters Degree in Social Sciences or related fields. A PhD is an added advantage
-Ability to speak strongly at high level platforms; proven track record of publications an added advantage
-Strong competence in Quantitative Data Collection and Analysis, full knowledge of CSPro and other statistical packages an added advantage
-Strong competence and experience in Qualitative data collection and analysis
-Proven leadership roles in various institutions, and a team player, able to manage teams implementing components of the programme
-Interpersonal skills essential, knowledge of Ndebele and Tonga added advantage

Remuneration
This will be disclosed to the successful applicant.

To apply
Applications should include cover letter and CV with traceable referees. Please submit full application set with “Social Development Officer” in the subject line to: socialdevofficer2013 [at] gmail [dot] com

Women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Human Resource Officer: Local NGO
Deadline: 23 July 2013

1Year Contract
Location: Harare
Works 3 days a week

A local, registered NGO is inviting applications from suitably qualified and experienced persons for the position of Human Resource Officer.

Basic functions
To effectively implement the Organization’s human resource policies and procedures, advise management and employees on human resource issues and assist in maintenance of a sound industrial relations climate in the Organization.

Responsibilities
-Effectively implement the organization’s human resource policies and procedures
-Advise management and employees on human resource issues
-Assist in industrial relations management
-Payroll processing
-Provide legal advice on human resource issues
-Training employees on relevant human resource issues
-Recruitment and selection
-Effective staff orientation
-Assist in managing the performance appraisal process
-Staff administration and other assigned administrative duties
-Make recommendations to management and staff in response to changes occurring in the market
-Reports to the Country Director for Zimbabwe

Qualifications and person specification
-Social Science/ Human Resource Degree and IPMZ / other Human Resource Diploma
-A minimum of three (3) years working experience at the same level
-Work experience in the NGO Sector an advantage
-Good interpersonal skills and a demonstrable ability to communicate clearly and effectively at all levels
-Be conversant with the Zimbabwean labor act
-Be sensitive to changes and trends occurring in the human resource field
-Clean class four (4) driver’s license an advantage

Only persons with the above requirements need apply.

To apply
Applications together with a detailed CV and motivation letter to be submitted to the following email address: hrzimbabwe396 [at] gmail [dot] com

We regret that though we value all applications, we will not be able to respond to every application submitted. We however thank all applicants in advance for expressing an interest in this post.

The latest installment of the not-so-funny comedy of errors plaguing Zimbabwe’s 31 July harmonised election. How’s this for outrageous? Read the press statement from RAU about the launch of their voters’ roll audit report being banned.

The Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU) intended to launch a detailed analysis of the Voters’ Roll this morning. This detailed audit comes in the wake of a preliminary report that RAU released on the 5th of July 2013.

RAU has had to cancel the launch of this report however because the Registrar General at 8.17a.m  left  an interdict at our offices from the High Court  to stop the event from going ahead at the Crowne Plaza the chosen venue, who were cited as the second Respondents and were served at 8.30am.

The Registrar General’s interdict is based on a misconception that we wanted to launch the voters roll, relying on an erroneous article by NEWSDAY published on the 16th of July 2013 which stated that RAU intended to launch a full voters’ roll. Instead of proceeding by way of an application interdicting us from launching our report, it would have taken a simple phone call from the Registrar General’s office to confirm that what we intended to launch was a report based on the Roll and not the Roll itself.

RAU wishes to clarify that it never intended to a launch a voters’ roll. RAU was going to launch an analysis done on the voters roll. In addition to the above, the Chairperson of ZEC and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission are aware that RAU has been working on such an audit and ZEC had received and acknowledged receipt of the preliminary report.

RAU is deeply concerned with the fact that the order for an interdict was granted and the application was admitted and decided yet the Certificate of Urgency, which makes part of the Application was not signed as is required by law.

RAU also finds unprocedural and an abuse of the justice system and court process the fact that we were not served with the application when it was filed with the High Court and that we only received it at the same time as the Order for an Interdict was delivered to RAU.

I found a Zanu PF leaflet on Arcturus Road in in Harare East yesterday. I think it’s meant to be a serious political document but there are several Ha Ha moments worth sharing:

Apparently Zanu PF
a) has given us economic empowerment
b) youth empowerment
c) provided education for all
d) provided health for all
e) they’ve uplifted the position of a woman
f) are peace loving

Zanu PF will also never accept homosexuality.

They will also never accept something called beastialily (I think that’s a Polynesian cocktail).

Speaking of drinking, apparently Cde RG has taught us that clinging to generational unforgiveness is as foolish as drinking poison and waiting on someone else to die.

And, why should you vote for him? Well, he’s a job creator (apparently), we Zimbabweans enjoy human rights without disturbance, and Zanu PF guarantees economic prosperity.

Who writes this crap?