Mugabe kicks off voter registration ahead of 2018 poll

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace Mugabe have become the first people to register as voters ahead of next year’s election. The president however complained that the process took a bit too long. All Zimbabweans, including those who have voted in previous elections, will have to register afresh using a new system which […]

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace Mugabe have become the first people to register as voters ahead of next year’s election.

The president however complained that the process took a bit too long.

All Zimbabweans, including those who have voted in previous elections, will have to register afresh using a new system which will capture their biometric data: fingerprints and facial features.

Only 400 of the 3,000 voter registration machines have arrived in the country from China to kickstart the process which ends on 15 January 2018.

The electoral commission says it’s targeting seven million voters. Mr Mugabe, 93, who has led the country since 1980, is expected to be the ruling Zanu-PF candidate in the election, which is expected to be held in the middle of next year.