A statement just in from ZESN:

HARARE, 25 July 2013 – With a few days left to the Harmonised Elections, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) is appealing to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to publish the final list of polling stations ahead of the polls to enable party agents and observer groups to deploy. ZESN urges ZEC to release the final list in advance in case there are additional polling stations or any changes to the initial polling station list. This would ensure there is sufficient time for the deployment of party agents and observers to the new polling stations.

At a briefing for international, regional and local observers on Wednesday, 24 July, ZEC announced that the final list of polling stations would be published on the actual polling day. While ZESN commends ZEC for being aware of the concerns raised after the March, 16 Referendum on the inadequacy of polling stations in highly populated areas, ZESN is concerned that the initial list published did not address some of the problems noted during the referendum. For example, Epworth, Ward 7 according to the 2012 Census has a population of 39,031 people. ZESN estimates there are 22,638 eligible voters in the ward. However, for the 2013 Constitutional Referendum there was only one polling station in Epworth Ward 7.

ZESN therefore appeals to ZEC to release the list of polling stations in advance as part of international good practice and, in order to enhance transparency and accountability of the whole electoral process.  ZESN is concerned that the last minute publishing of polling stations provides limited time for interventions on the adequacy and accessibility of polling stations. We note that the final list will be published in the print media. However, ZESN is concerned that there is no guarantee every voter will have access to the newspapers to access the final list of the polling stations.

“We urge ZEC to release the final list in advance in the spirit of promoting transparency, credibility and the smooth running of the elections as this is also in line with good international practices”, said ZESN Chairperson, Dr Solomon Zwana.

The Network encourages ZEC to ensure that polling stations are adequate to avoid long queues that may discourage potential voters from voting. ZEC should distribute the polling stations based on demand and the potential number of voters in each ward.

ZESN calls upon ZEC to seriously take all concerns raised to ensure the credibility of the impending harmonised election and to ensure that every voter has adequate information about where to cast their vote in good time. ZESN urges ZEC to ensure that there are adequate polling stations to ensure that all eligible are processed timeously. ZESN remains committed to promoting a free and fair election in Zimbabwe.//Ends

For more information please contact the ZESN Chairperson REV Dr Solomon Zwana on +263 773 434 169 or the ZESN Director Mrs Rindai Chipfunde Vava on +263 771 692 039

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.

Our country has for a long time now been a manufacturing pot for the redefinition of kleptocracy and dictatorship. All the extremes of bad and evil governance have been crafted in our backyard and I pray that in this information age such insanity should be well exposed and put to an end. All Zimbabweans should now appreciate that our independence in 1980 was just a transfer of colonial power from Smith’s dictatorship to a tougher and homegrown type of repression. Our election in 2 weeks time should be a show of protest and the right machine gun to bring this gluttonous oligarchy in Zimbabwe to an end.

Zimbabwe Alert
From MISA

Wednesday, 10 July 2013
Journalist arrested while taking photographs

Police in Zimbabwe on Tuesday, 9 July 2013 arrested Leopold Munhende, a journalist with The Mirror, in the southern town of Masvingo. Munhende was arrested while taking photographs of the voter registration process at the Registrar General’s Offices.

The arrest came at a time when Zimbabweans were jostling to register as voters before the lapse of the deadline that had been set on the same day.

The incident took place around 09.20hrs (CAT) and the journalist was taken to Masvingo Central Police station where he was charged with being a public nuisance in terms of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.

More details to follow.

MISA-Zimbabwe

What people are saying:

The election date should be announced later on after the fulfillment of the GPA principles. I’m not sure of free and fair elections when the people in the countryside are written down names and ID numbers by ZANU PF members in what they call a party register. Anyway, lets watch and defend our liberty.

I do not know how our outgoing MP used the Constituency Development Fund. He never showed up for consultations, which were supposed to be inclusive, with the electorate on how best & developmental the CDF can be used in our constituency. To date & truly speaking many people in the area do not know of such a fund. Only to be surprised to read an article in the print media where he lied of carrying out developmental projects in the area, which were being done by a legislator aspirant of a different political party thus hijacking projects of others. Shame.