The world’s oldest person lives in Zimbabwe and is 141 years old. Not far behind is a 134-year-old, also from Zimbabwe. So says the country’s voters’ registration list, which has come under sharp criticism before the July 30 elections. This will be the first election in many years without longtime leader Robert Mugabe. He served as Zimbabwe’s president from 1987 until last year. Before that, Mugabe was prime minister -- a position he held from 1980 to 1987.

The main opposition party has called the voters’ list flawed and the clearest sign that the election’s credibility is at risk.

On Wednesday, thousands of people demonstrated in the capital, Harare. They called for more openness in the voting. The protesters danced and waved signs saying “No reforms, no elections.”

Mugabe was pressured to step down when Emmerson Mnangagwa took power in November of 2017. The new president and the election committee have promised a free and fair election. But the issues with the voters’ list have many people worried that the government is unable to end a long history of suspected cheating in elections.

The strikingly old voters are just one concern. The voters’ list shows more than 100 people registered at the same property and more than one person sharing an identification number. The Associated Press says that information comes from James Timba, the chief election agent for the main political opposition.

“We are not going to compromise,” main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa told the crowd on Wednesday. He accused the election commission, the military and Mnangagwa of trying to influence the vote.

Aliqismet BADALOV,

“Khalq qazeti”