What should have been a smooth process facilitated by the use of advanced technology, chiefly the much-touted biometric voter registration (BVR) kits, was marred by irregularities including shortage, late arrival or failure of all-important gear, and incompetence of registration clerks.
As a result many residents reported having failed to register after spending hours in queues.
Several registration centres were jammed with people determined to register but unable to do so, as some remained without even a single BVR kit by the time our reporters visited them – up to mid-morning.
A survey conducted at various registration centres in various parts of the city showed that there were a number of challenges which better preparations would have minimised, or averted altogether.
Many residents complained about an apparent lack of organisation, meaning queues were growing and voters were becoming increasingly frustrated due to a technical glitches with the system.However, the response of citizenry in many centres was positive although many of the centres were overcrowded.
Mama Byemelwa a resident of Mbezi beach who was to register at Ndumbwi primary school was in dilemma after spending almost eight hours waiting for the registration kits to arrive.
“I wonder why the government is not well organised on this process …it seems that the authorities were taking matters for granted. I did not report for duty and arrived here to register since 7am and failed to register up to this moment when the time is now 14.30pm ,” she said.
One of machine operator at Ndumbwi centre identified by a single name as Humphrey told The Guardian that there was no communication between them and the authorities to the causes of the delay.
“We arrived here at 08.00am and people had already lined up for registration …but what we have done up to this moment was just listing down the names while waiting for the registration kits to arrive,” he said.
Meanwhile, at Msewe primary school, Ubungo people complained about staying at the centres for long hours waiting to be registered. As The Guardian arrived at the centre at around 11am the process was yet to begin.
There was only one registration equipment which was supposed to register more than 800 people who had already been listed for registration.
“We were told to receive six registration kits but until now about (11.30am) as you can see here is only one machine and there is a big crowd of people who arrived here since 05.00am …and the number of people as time goes will be even bigger’, he said.
At Maramba Mawili centre (Mbezi Mwisho) people complained about the slow pace of the process as there was only one machine something which forced the officers to tell the people to go back home until the following day.
Magret Patric of Malamba Mawili said she arrived at the centre at 6.am but till 12.00 noon she was not yet to be registered blaming the authorities that they were not serious enough.
Another resident who introduced himself as Baba Deborah said he had arrived at the centre at 3am hopping that he would get the service much quicker and then report for something which did not happen at all.
Jumanne Ngoma BVR operator at another centre in the city told The Guardian that they were expecting to get another machine later.
At Mbezi Garden centre (Mbezi Beach) the BVR machine was faulty something which made people keep waiting for it in case it will function again.
BVR operator at the centre named Idd Mwakipesile said it was normal for the equipment to fail if it was loaded and it took some time to function again. He told the people that there was one equipment only.
At Ilala Municipality the registration started late due to power failure and technical glitch with BVR kits.
The wards which were most hit included Buyuni, Pugu Bombani, Gongo la Mboto and Chanika.
Speaking to the Guardian Intelligence William who resides at Pugu Bombani said that he was supposed to register at Kwa Mtendaji centre but he had to wait for a long time because the kits were not working properly.
“The process was scheduled to start at 8am but people were forced to wait
until 10.30 to register… people were frustrated and left without being registered,” he said.
Rehema Saidi who lives at the same area said when the process started top priority was given to expectant mothers and the elderly .
“I managed to register and was given my voter’s identity card,” she said.
BVR operator at Verena centre in Gongolamboto ward Amina Peter mentioned lack of BVR kits and unreliable power which led to malfunctional of some BVR kits available .
“We have only one equipment at our centre so when this machine stops working the process is delayed… I call upon the government to increase the number of kits to speed up the process and register all eligible voters,” she said.
Similar problems were also experienced at Buyuni war, Kwa Mazinda centre, Taliani Street where by the process started at 11.30 instead of 8am due to malfunctional of BVR kits. Other areas included Chanika, Kivule, and Tabata Kimanga.
At Kimara Stopover on the outskirts of the city the center was overcrowded as the number of people didn’t match with the kits which arrived late at the centre.
There was violence at the centre as there were very few equipment while the area had very many residents.
The Guardian visited the center at 11 am and witnessed a crowd of citizenry waiting for the process to begin.
A resident of Kimara Stopover Bakari Salum said the people arrived at the centre at 6am to register so that they can proceed with their activities. However, the National Electoral Commission officials arrived at the centre at 10am.
Salum said that people were overcrowded because the registration officers had arrived late at the centre with two kits while people turnout early expecting the process to start on time.
A member of the local governments at Stopover Mwinyi Hamisi said that the area had more than 14,000 residents therefore seven days were not enough to register all eligible voters.
NEC officialcwho preferred anonymity said that the challenges on day one was normal and the situation would normalise as the process goes on.
According to the source one BVR kits can register 150 people per day only until the next day.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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