adminRumbidzai Ngwenya Features Writer
“President Mnangagwa has changed the political space in this country no wonder everyone was eager to vote. He has given Zimbabweans freedom to participate in these elections, something that we never had before. “There has been freedom of expression and he has been engaging the citizens. Truth be told, no matter the outcome of this elections, politics has changed.”
These were the sentiments of Kudakwashe Ganyani, a taxi driver who caught up with The Herald in the Central Business District (CBD) yesterday.
Having voted by noon and trying to do business, he could not hide his excitement.
“This election was characterised by peace. I am thankful to the people of Zimbabwe for showing maturity. Am sure our change in attitude resembled something to the world. Credit also goes to our leaders because when you have leaders who preach peace, you have people who practise it,” said Gunyani.
He added: “Despite our differences in political affiliation, we have been able to live together as Zimbabweans, peacefully. I hope to see this even after elections no matter who wins. After elections, we should focus on rebuilding this country together and set our differences aside.”
As much as Mondays are known to be chaotic in the CBD, yesterday was different.
The wind of serenity seemed to have blown and swept all the chaos out of the streets in this part of Harare usually characterised by uproar, people trying to run their businesses and many rushing to work in the early hours.
Even vendors and hawkers who usually crowd the streets yesterday displaced, save for just a few who either went to vote first before they resumed their daily work or those who preferred to go in the late hours of the day.
“We just decided to come and work in the morning before voting later, but as you can see there are no customers, everyone is voting,” said one vendor who sat alone at the corner of Sam Nujoma Street and Nelson Mandela Avenue.
Most shops were closed except for a few which opened around midday. But for those that opened, business was low.
Voters like Tonderai Mhandu who stays in Harare, but is registered in Murehwa said he would travel 90km to vote.
“I am thankful that this day which was declared a public holiday has enabled everyone to vote,” he said.
But as much as there wasn’t any action in the CBD, it was a completely different story in Harare’s suburbs.
From every street corner of Harare suburbs to kombi ranks, it was just elections talk. People of different political affiliations could be heard teasing each other over the possible outcomes of the elections and erupting into laughter.
For the first time in the history of Zimbabwean elections, there was more action in suburbs and unsual calmness in the CBD.
Online Reporter