TWO international companies shortlisted to supply Zimbabwe with biometric voter registration (BVR) kits will today start site validation tests ahead of the 2018 harmonised elections.

The two companies are Laxton Group Limited from China and Dermalog Identification Systems from Germany.

Initially, they were three, including ZETES from Belgium, which later pulled out. Although there is consensus on the use of BVR, opposition parties accuse the government and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) of trying to manipulate the procurement process, thereby, disenfranchising them.

Zec chairperson, Rita Makarau yesterday said observers were welcome to view the process, but would not be allowed to interfere in any way in the validation process that starts today.