Zanu PF deputy national Political Commissar for the Youth League, Taurai Kandishaya has defended the Government's proposed electoral reforms saying they are intended to improve the management of elections, strengthen voter registration and reduce disputes that have characterised previous polls.
Speaking in an interview, Kandishaya said the reforms seek to streamline Zimbabwe's electoral system by redistributing responsibilities currently performed by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
He argued that ZEC has been carrying too many responsibilities, including maintaining the voters' roll, conducting elections and overseeing constituency delimitation.
"The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission was in charge of the voters' roll, in charge of elections and in charge of delimitation. One institution was overwhelmed and overburdened," he said.
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
Under the proposed reforms, responsibility for maintaining the voters' roll would be transferred to the Registrar General's Office.
Kandishaya said placing the voters' roll under the office responsible for issuing national identity documents would help eliminate discrepancies that have previously affected some voters.
"Now the voters' roll will be with the Registrar General. The Registrar General is the custodian of our documents - the passports, the IDs and the birth certificates. If there is a mistake on your name or national ID, that same mistake goes onto the voters' roll. It means you will not be turned away," he said.
He also said the delimitation of electoral boundaries would be undertaken by an independent commission comprising specialists, including demography experts, rather than through the current system.
According to Kandishaya, the reforms are aimed at addressing factors that have contributed to electoral disputes and violence.
"It means now we have upgraded part of the reforms to make sure that we deal with the causes of electoral violence," he said.
Kandishaya also defended proposals that would see future presidents elected by Parliament rather than through a direct popular vote, arguing that the system would enhance accountability because Members of Parliament are already elected representatives of the people.
"But now the President will be elected in Parliament. Very few people in Parliament are going to elect the President and if there is rigging, it's easier to point out that there is rigging here. Those people electing the President in Parliament are the same people who are already representing us," he said.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The proposal to replace direct presidential elections with a parliamentary vote has attracted criticism from opposition parties, constitutional experts and civil society organisations, who argue that it would fundamentally alter Zimbabwe's electoral system.
The Government, however, maintains that the reforms are intended to improve governance and institutional efficiency.
Turning to the economy, Kandishaya dismissed concerns over Zimbabweans returning from neighbouring South Africa saying Government policies aimed at industrialisation were creating employment opportunities across the country.
He cited developments in the steel industry and the expansion of manufacturing activities beyond Harare as evidence of economic growth.
"Zimbabwe's economy is on the rise. It's a fact," he said.
Kandishaya further claimed that the current administration had generated more than two million jobs through its economic programmes.
"There is everything in terms of jobs. I can tell you that the present-day Government has created in excess of two million jobs," he said.
The proposed electoral reforms continue to generate debate among political parties and governance experts with supporters arguing they will improve electoral administration while critics contend that some of the changes could weaken democratic participation and constitutional safeguards.
