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Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa (R, front) and newly appointed Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson Priscilla Chigumba (L, front) attend the swearing-in ceremony in Harare, Zimbabwe, Feb. 1, 2018. Newly appointed Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) chairperson Priscilla Chigumba on Thursday pledged to deliver free, fair and credible elections scheduled for mid this year. (Xinhua/Shaun Jusa)
HARARE, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Newly appointed Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) chairperson Priscilla Chigumba on Thursday pledged to deliver free, fair and credible elections scheduled for mid this year.
Chigumba was speaking soon after being sworn in by President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House.
She replaces Rita Makarau who resigned in December last year.
"It is a delight to serve one's country in this capacity as chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, and I promise the people of Zimbabwe that I will deliver a free, fair and credible election," she said on the swearing-in ceremony.
She also promised to look into concerns being raised by various political parties and stakeholders relating to the forthcoming polls.
Some political parties have complained of voter intimidation and have questioned the impartiality of ZEC but Chigumba said as a judge, she was well versed with the requirements of the law and would administer it according to its dictates.
She also said ZEC would produce a credible voters' roll considering that questions have been raised in the past about the credibility of the voters' roll.
The country is using a biometric voter registration system for the first time to try and address the issue about the credibility of the voters' roll.
President Mnangagwa has said elections will be held in five months time.
