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This article participates on the following special index pages:
Index of results, reports, press stmts and articles on March 31 2005 General Election - post Mar 30
High
number of spoilt papers raises issue of voter education
The
Daily Mirror
April 05, 2005
http://www.dailymirror.co.zw
There were a
number of cases where the margin of victory was less than the number
of spoilt papers raising questions as to the levels of voter education
and the extent to which the people responsible for this aspect of
elections did their jobs.
For instance,
in Masvingo Central constituency, Shylet Uyoyo of Zanu PF lost to
Tongai Matutu of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
by a narrow margin of 195 votes while there were 316 spoilt papers.
In Mutasa south
constituency, Oppah Muchinguri of the ruling Zanu PF narrowly triumphed
over Edwin Maupa (MDC) by a marginal 335 votes where 478 papers
were spoilt.
Other constituencies
that recorded proportionally high numbers of spoilt ballots were
Binga, which recorded 1 265 spoilt papers, Gokwe Chireya with 1
245, Gokwe Sengwa (1 040), Mwenezi (1 160), Shamva (1 113), Bindura
(1 083), Chiredzi North 1045, and Nkayi (1 027).
Chimanimani
had 794, Zvimba South 796, Chegutu 546, Mbare 544, Zhombe 721 and
Tsholotsho 591 spoilt papers. Glen Norah and Harare Central recorded
77 and 91 respectively.
Spoilt papers are not considered in the counting process.
According to
the electoral commission, a spoilt paper would have written information
besides the ‘X’ symbol. Such things include names of an individual
or leader of the party, party names and slogans, and leaving the
ballots blank.
In some cases,
independent candidates and candidates of smaller parties like Zanu
had fewer votes than the total number of spoilt papers in their
respective constituencies.
Chiredzi North
constituency aspirant Onias Makuni of Zanu polled 581 votes, yet
there were 1 045 spoilt ballots.
Clemence Machakaire
of the ZPDP attracted 61 votes against 176 spoilt papers.
Thomas Ziwachi
of the Zimbabwe Youth Alliance (ZIYA) got 36 votes in the Glen Norah
constituency that recorded 77 spoilt papers.
However, a number
of constituencies did not record any spoilt papers.
These included
Shurugwi, Chipinge North and South, Gokwe Nembudziya and Mt Darwin
South. Interestingly, Zanu PF candidates won in these constituencies.
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