VOTING across the country in parliamentary and ward by-elections was held yesterday with the nation, again conducting peaceful polls.
In Bulawayo, heavy rains that started in the morning in
most parts of the city seemed to have kept many voters indoors with Sunday News
observing a low turnout at some polling stations.
Polling stations opened at around 7 am and closed at 7 pm
across the country. Polling officers said counting started immediately after
the closing of polling stations and some results might start trickling in
today.
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) provincial elections
officer for Bulawayo, Mr Innocent Ncube, said there was a low turnout due to
the weather.
“The polling stations opened on time, but the turnout was
very low largely because of the weather since it has been raining for the
better part of the day, particularly in the morning.
Just when we thought that the numbers would improve in the
afternoon it started raining again. When I moved around the polling stations,
people were utilising the voters’ roll to check for their names before queuing
to vote.” Mr Ncube said a majority of people who were turned away were those
who went to wrong wards.
“In terms of those who were turned away the number is very
high. Mostly it was those who went to the polling stations thinking it was
everyone who was going to vote in the ward yet in actual fact, those allowed to
vote are those who registered at the time the voters’ roll was prepared.
Those who had registered or not transferred into that
particular ward by then were not permitted to vote. We had some people coming
to the polling stations thinking they would take chances, but they were turned
away.
The number of those who went to wrong polling stations and
were redirected was quite high and it was around 700,” he said.
Mr Ncube said they also noted that a majority of people
were not familiar with the new phenomenon of the voters’ roll being displayed
outside the polling station.
“We expect results from the polling stations for local
authority by 10 pm tonight and then they will move to the ward collation
centres where it will again depend on the polling stations.
If the ballot papers arrive on time, they will be able to
finish early. For the national assembly, the V11s (forms) will be pasted at the
polling stations while at the ward collation centres the V23A (forms) must be
pasted outside with the V23B (forms) being pasted at the constituencies so that
the public can be able to go and scrutinise them.
Each of those papers must be signed by the polling agents
and acknowledge the outcome from that particular station. We are working with
the police and so far there are no incidents of violence reported in the
elections.”
In Pumula, Sunday News observed that voting kicked off on a
slow note with ZEC statistics in some polling stations showing that less than
20 people had cast their votes in the first two hours after polling stations
opened.
In the Nkulumane Constituency, at Mncumbatha Secondary
School the presiding officer said the voters roll which was displayed for the
public was washed away by the heavy rains on Friday night. However, that did
not disburb the process as another voters roll was available inside the polling
station.
At some polling stations, prospective voters were turned
away for having wrong identification particulars with some who were intending
to use drivers’ licenses, political party membership cards and photocopies of
identity documents, which were not allowed at polling stations.
At Mahlabezulu Primary School A tent polling station, in
Tshabalala 156 people had voted by 2pm, three who were not on voters’ roll had
been turned away.
However, a large number of the elderly constituted voters
that were assisted to cast their votes by police details and ZEC officials in
the various polling stations.
The elderly voters were assisted mainly because of visual
impairments and illiteracy. At JB Centre in Thorngrove, 84 people had voted as
at 3pm.
The presiding officer Mr Sheunopa Mutsikiwa said the voting
proceedings went on well although they had to redirect some people who were
coming to the JB Centre instead of going to the Thorngrove Tent which was close
by.
In Bulawayo, the by-elections were for two MPs in Nkulumane
and Pumula and for Wards 17, 19, 20, 22, 23 and 27. The seats fell vacant
mainly due to recalls because of power struggles within the opposition
political party, while a few came up due to deaths.
Gweru
In the Midlands province, there were five National Assembly
seats and 11 local authority seats that had by- elections. The five National
Assembly seats are Gokwe Central, Kwekwe Central, Kwekwe-Mbizo, Mberengwa South
and Mkoba.
In Gweru, the voting process started well in Mkoba
Constituency but was characterised by voter apathy in most polling stations in
the first hours of the morning.
At Bumburwi Primary School polling station in Mkoba one
suburb, the highest age group of voters was 40-44 years, followed by 35-39 years
and turnout was at less than 40 percent by mid-day. ZEC chairperson, Justice
Priscila Chigumba was in the Midlands capital monitoring the by-election.
She visited the Mkoba Constituency Command Centre which is
at Mkoba Teachers College where collation of results was to take place.
Mkoba Constituency by- elections had four candidates vying
for the National Assembly seat namely Mr Albert Chadoka (MDC A) Mr Amos Chibaya
(CCC), William Gondo (Zanu PF) and Malvern Zihapa (Federation of African
States).
There was also the Gweru municipality Ward two by election
pitting Mr Josiah Makombe (CCC), Mr Patson Chingwaru (MDC T) and Cde Edgar
Shoko.
Kwekwe
In Kwekwe District voting also went well for two
parliamentary seats and five wards. Elections were also observed in Zibagwe
Rural Disrict Council seats.
Voting in the town went well, according to district
elections officer Mr Assan Mkwananzi. There was however, a skirmish at Fitchlea
Primary School polling station where a “drunk man” closed the gate claiming the
voting process had ended, thereby scaring some potential voters away. He was
however, arrested and voting continued peacefully.
Binga
In Binga North constituency, Binga District Elections
Officer Mr Pinos Buligwamanu said voting in the 68 polling Stations of the 15
wards in Binga North constituency was conducted in a peaceful environment with
all polling stations opening at 7am and closing at 7pm without any major
incidents.
He said the turnout was impressive with one polling Station
having over 300 voters by 7am. Mr Buligwamanu said the counting of votes
started around 7:30pm in all polling stations after the closing of voting at
7pm, with results expected to be announced today.
“We have ensured that we have enough vehicles with adequate
fuel to provide transport to the command centre at Binga centre.
For now we expect the results to be announced by 9am on
Sunday because our furthest polling Station is 160 kilometers from the command
centre and therefore the results might be delayed but everything is progressing
well thus far,” he said.
Polling Stations visited by Sunday News in the constituency
saw largely long queues with voters waiting patiently to cast their vote.
Zanu-PF candidate for Binga North, Cde Kudakwashe Munsaka
said he was happy with the voting process thus far, saying that the voter turn
out was impressive.
He however, complained over Citizens Coalition for Change
Candidate, Mr Prince Dubeko Sibanda who he said had caused commotion at one of
the polling Stations in Kombo.
“I am happy thus far, the process is smooth sailing, people
came in their numbers, where I voted from in Kalongo people actually slept at
the polling station, even in other areas people came in their numbers.
However, I have a complaint regarding the CCC candidate,
Prince Dubeko Sibanda who I am told was confrontational at Kombo polling
station, and even attempted to force his way into the polling station, he even
attempted to attack one of our party youths in the process,” said Cde Muntsaka.
Tsholotsho
By 10 am, little to no activity was at Gandisa Polling
Station in Tsholotsho South, same as at Mbamba Business Centre, Ward 15 where
there were no queues, while a trickle of voters was observed in Matshudula
Primary School in Ward 12.
However, by midday at Dinyane Primary in Ward 15,
Tsholotsho South, a total of 175 people had cast their votes, with 145 females
and 30 males choosing candidates of their choice.
Seven people were turned away and of those four were and
females three were male. The numbers of voters picked up later in the day. Of
note was the parliamentary contest for Tsholotsho South.
Victoria Falls
In Victoria Falls, by-elections were being held in ward one
and ward six. Ward one had two candidates, Cde Tonderai Mutasa of Zanu-PF and
Mr Christopher Ndiweni of CCC.
Voting also progressed well with officials saying no major
incidences were reported. The number of voters however, improved as the day
progressed.
Gwanda
There was a low turnout at Gwanda High School polling
station in Gwanda’s Ward 7. According to the presiding officer Mrs Bonisiwe
Mlilo, as at 10am, only 12 males and 19 females had cast their vote out of 155
registered voters.
Five males were turned away as they did not appear on the
voter’s roll while five voters were redirected to other polling stations.
The presiding officer at Jahunda Pre-School polling station
in Gwanda’s Ward 7 Mr Olerato Makhurane said voting went on smoothly.
Out of the 386 registered voters, only 14 males and 27
females had voted by 10 am. Five voters were turned away, one for using an
expired passport while the other four did not appear on the voter’s roll.
At Zaoga Church Tent polling station, Ward 7, Gwanda voters
were trickling in from morning. Mr Nkosilamandla Siziba, the presiding officer,
said they did not experience any logistical challenges although a number of
people had been turned away as they did not appear on the voters’ roll. He said
they had registered to vote after the cut-off date. The number of voters
however, improved as the day progressed.
Beitbridge
There was fair voter turnout at polling stations under
Beitbridge Municipality ward 4. Beitbridge’s acting District Elections Officer,
Mr Adrian Muyambo said the election process went on smoothly from morning and
that they had not recorded any untoward incidents at all the 11 polling
stations in Wards 4 and 5 (Beitbridge Municipality). The number of voters also
improved as the day progressed.
Matabeleland South ZEC provincial elections officer Mr
Rabson Nyoni said there was a low turnout in most wards which was induced by
rains which fell in most areas yesterday. Voting took place in Insiza, Umzingwane,
Gwanda, and Beitbridge districts Sunday News
0 comments:
Post a Comment