The Electoral Commission (EC) plans to recruit 193 constituency civic and voter education assistants to work in all the constituencies across the country.
MEC director of media and public relations, Sangwani Mwafulirwa said in an interview on Wednesday that the assistants will help in conducting civic and voter education ahead of the 2014 Tripartite Elections.
“We want to ensure that the electorate get as more information about elections so that there is high voter turnout and reduced percentage of null and void votes.
“Tripartite elections are a new thing and we want people to understand it well through intensive civic and voter education by civil society organisations (CSOs) and Electoral Commission,” he said.
Mwafulirwa said the commission was planning to finish the recruitment of the assistants by the time registration of voters starts.
“We have just advertised and we are advising all interested applicants to apply through district commissioners where they want to work. The assistants will work in the areas where they are staying to benefit from their knowledge of the areas and also language,” he said.
Mwafulirwa also said engagement of the constituency civic and voter education assistants will not replace the work of CSO, which the commission accredits to conduct civic and voter education.
“EC will soon release the list of civil society organisations who have been accredited to conduct civic and voter education. These organisations will carry out their duties as expected of them so that the public makes informed decisions” he said.
