THE coalition of four opposition political parties (UKAWA) has requested theNational Electoral Commission (NEC) to allow Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT). Speaking to journalists in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Chadema deputy
(Mainland), John Mnyika said the move will allow wider transparency.
“We understand that NEC is the only responsible authority to announce the final results, but we want them to allow stakeholders and observers to independently tabulate the results,” he said.
Mr Mnyika described PVT as a powerful citizens’ tool to analyse the integrity of voting and counting processes as well as the accuracy of official election results as it has been used in other countries. He further said as part of broader election monitoring efforts, PVT plays an important role in citizens mobilising for accountability and electoral reform.
PVT is an election observation methodology that is typically based on a representative random sample of polling stations and is employed for independent verification or challenge of election results.
It involves observation of the administration of the election, the process of voting and of counting of ballots at the polling stations, collection of official polling station results and independent tabulation of these results, parallel to election authorities.
Expounding further on another matter, he said NEC should not wait until it is too late to handle over the soft copy version of voter register to political parties, adding the authority should speed the process for them to be able to cross check it.
However, NEC said that next week was set to issue a soft copy version of the voter register in a move calculated at involving political parties taking part in this month’s general election, with a view to boosting their confidence in the electoral body.
The move will also go a long way to allaying electoral fraud fears which opposition parties have been expressing for some time now. NEC Chairman, Judge Damian Lubuva, said there was no need for political parties to engage in witch-hunting after the election because NEC’s operations would be overboard to ensure a fair and credible poll without an iota of favouritism.
Judge Lubuva assured political parties that there was no need to be apprehensive about the voter register because all the parties would be provided with its soft copy before election time.
Culled from Daily News
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