By Sharon Chimenya

THERE has been a marked increase in the number of youths turning up at the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) offices in Masvingo to register to vote for next year.
Masvingo Deputy Provincial Elections Officer, Maxwell Ncube, said all their district offices and the provincial offices were open during this delimitation process for people to come in their numbers to register.
Though statistics of how many youths were coming in were not readily available, Ncube said there has been an increase in the number of young people – those commonly referred to as the ama2000s – coming forward to register.
“Of late, we have noticed that the youths – those we call the ama2000s – are coming to register these days. Unfortunately, we do not have statistics to say how many have come forward to register so far, but it appears they are coming to register and it appears other stakeholders are encouraging them and probably that is why they are coming to register as voters. The same should happen to everyone, who wants to participate in the electoral process.”
He said the voters’ registration was a continuous process and he encouraged residents to visit their offices so that they could take part in the next year’s general elections.
“Voters’ registration is a continuous process and people are coming to our offices to register. We continue to encourage them to come and register to vote in preparation of the forthcoming general elections in 2023.
“People should take advantage of this period, which we are embarking on, delimitation. Our office are even open during weekends, so people are free to visit our offices, our seven district offices and one provincial office. They will be open from 7.45am up to 5 pm, so they should take the advantage and come forth and register so that they can participate,” he said.