HARARE, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said Tuesday it requires 274 million U.S. dollars to conduct national elections set for mid 2018.
The electoral body has begun preparations for next year's polls with voter registration expected to start soon and end in December.
"A consolidated budget requirement has since been submitted to Treasury for funding in the sum of 274 million dollars," ZEC chairperson Rita Makarau told a parliamentary committee.
Makarau said the funding will enable ZEC to procure all election materials necessary and to pay all allowances necessary to ensure a successful voter registration exercise as well as free and fair election.
She urged political parties and civic organizations to start voter education, indicating that ZEC's constitutionally mandated voter education was due to begin soon.
Zimbabwe will use the biometric voter registration system for the first time to compile a new voters' roll ahead of the polls.
The system entails the use of unique individual identification techniques such as fingerprints and iris to identify voters. Previously, voters only used their national identification documents to register.
ZEC has said it is targeting to register 7 million voters for the 2018 polls, up from 6.8 million that were registered in the previous 2013 elections.
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has since been endorsed by his ruling ZANU-PF party as its presidential candidate for next year's polls, when he will be 94.
