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Special voting synopsis at 1800hrs
Movement for Democratic Change
July 14, 2013

The MDC is extremely worried by the manner in which ZEC is handling the Special Vote process. The process continues to be chaotic and engulfed in a plethora of irregularities which do not only expose ZEC’s lack of readiness to conduct an election but also the lack of credibility and legitimacy of the whole process. By 12.00pm today, 90% of the polling had not received ballot papers, with places such as Beitbridge receiving same as late as 17.00 hrs today.

The MDC condemns the delays in the voting process as special voters are being unnecessarily subjected to waiting for long periods before casting their votes.

Below are recorded cases that highlight these irregularities:

Bulawayo

• In Nketa, by 14:00hrs, eight people had cast their ballots and 37 had been turned away because their envelopes were not present. However, at 1430hrs chaos erupted and voting had come to a standstill following disagreements between junior and senior police officers when the latter wanted to jump the queue.
• In Magwegwe, only seven papers were present at the polling centre instead 350 expected.

Harare

• At Mabvuku Hall, there were more than 3000, less than 50 managed to vote because during the process the computer being used had a fault. At some point, the computer had to be replaced rendering the whole process incredible.
• 84 people cast their ballot at Mai Musodzi centre in Mbare.

Manicaland

• Voting commenced at 1600hrs across the province.
• MDC election agents were being turned away in Mutare South and Headlands.
• In Mutare urban, some ZEC officials were being turned away on the basis that their envelopes were not available at their respective polling stations even though their names were in the voters roll.

Mash Central

• Centenary High School polling station commenced the voting process at 1210hrs and at St Albert’s centre it started by 1410 hrs.
• In Muzarabani at Muzarabani High School the voting process started at 1410hrs.
• In Mvurwi, a Zanu-PF official was addressing police officers before casting their ballots.

Mash East

• In Mudzi and Marondera by 1700hrs they had not received ballot papers.
• In Murehwa South, there was intimidation of junior police officers by their superiors.
• In Chikomba, Zanu-PF candidate Mike Bimha drove and parked a vehicle covered in election posters within 100 meters from the polling station.
• 41 ballot papers were delivered at 1530hrs at Liebenberg polling station.
• In Wedza, ballot papers arrived at 1600hrs at Wedza Council Boardroom.

Mash West

• In Zvimba West voting only commenced at 1530hrs at Murombedzi polling station.

Masvingo

• No ballot papers have be dispatched by ZEC to the province.

Matebeleland North

• All the districts, save for Umguza, had not received their ballot papers by 1650hrs.
• In Umguza, 90 people had cast their votes at Nyamandlhovhu district council hall.

Matebeleland South

• In Beitbridge West and East, most polling centres were still to receive ballot papers by 1600hrs.
• In Insiza South, ballots papers only arrived at 1400 hrs.
• Shangani polling centre is yet to receive ballot papers.
• In Gwanda, all three polling stations had not received their allocation of ballot papers by 1700hrs.

Midlands

• Voting commenced at 1257hrs in Gokwe Central.
• In Gokwe Kana voting only began at 1500hrs.
• In Vungu, polling began at 1400hrs due to the late delivery of ballot papers.
• In Zhombe, Zanu-PF activists were loitering around a polling station in their party regalia intimidating police officers waiting to cast their ballots.
• In Zvishavane-Ngezi polling started at 1600hrs.
• In Mberengwa East, voting began at 1423hrs.

Chitungwiza

• In Ruwa, polling only commenced at 1630hrs and officials are using an electronic voter`s roll.
• In Goromonzi, spouses of police masquerading as police officers RDC were being allowed to cast their ballots.

The MDC notes with grave concern the discrepancies in the numbers of dispatched ballot papers and the number of people waiting in queues. Below is the total number of ballot papers dispatched by ZEC as of 1900hrs;

1. Matebeleland North – 1724
2. Matebeleland South – 153
3. Mashonaland Central – 450
4. Manicaland – 127
5. Mashonaland East – 569
6. Mashonaland West – 435
7. Midlands – 1204
8. Harare – 566
9. Bulawayo – 864
10. Masvingo – 0 (no ballot papers have been dispatched)

This brings a total of 6 092 dispatched ballot papers. However, ZEC states that over 70 000 applications were approved for the Special Vote meaning over 60 000 ballot papers are yet to be dispatched. No one knows when the rest of these ballot papers will be dispatched as this voting is supposed to close on 15 July.

According to ZEC, the breakdown of applications is as follows;

1. Army – 140 applications
2. Prison Services – 2000 applications
3. Police – 69 292 applications
4. Ministry of Foreign Affairs – less than one thousand.

The handling of the Special Vote by ZEC leaves a lot to be desired. The system is fraught with irregularities rendering the process opaque.

We will continue to monitor the process while engaging ZEC to ensure they address the irregularities we raised above. Members of security forces must be assured that, as the MDC we are monitoring the processes.

The law is also on their side as no one will be allowed to coerce them into voting candidates other than their choice. Theirs is a special vote to bring in a fresh start and a special New Zimbabwe, come July 31, 2013.

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