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Zimpapers Reporters
THE August 23 harmonised elections unfolded with a touch of amusement and light-heartedness in various constituencies.
While most of the electorate waited in patience, standing under the scotching sun to cast their vote in parts of Cowdray Park suburb, Bulawayo, one man’s patience diminished so much to the extent that he decided to rest his legs by balancing himself using an electrified security fence at a polling station that was situated at Celebration Church.
A crackling sound much like that of lightning sent half of the voters scurrying for cover as soon as the man’s body touched the fence.
After landing a few metres away from the fence, the man managed to collect and dust himself before letting out a huge sigh and laugh, which was greeted with jeers from voters in the queue.
“Why don’t you tell these people to turn off the electricity to the fence? I almost died. Maybe if you touch it, you might feel the same and take me seriously,” said the man.
At Induba Primary School, an elderly male voter took a creative approach.
Feigning disability to skip the queue, he left the polling station raising his hands in mock celebration, leaving fellow voters in stitches.
In Gwanda South’s Buvuma Primary School polling station, a comical incident featured an elderly woman named Idah Mahlong.
Despite being briefed on voting procedures, Mahlong’s attempt at casting her ballot went awry.
Placing two ballots in the wrong boxes, her defiance turned to despair as she realised her mistake, leaving her crestfallen as she exited.
The electoral journey took a humorous turn in Insiza South Constituency when parliamentary candidate, Cde Spare Sithole was turned away for using a driver’s licence as identification.
Cde Sithole later triumphed in the constituency, securing his second term.
A presiding officer’s wig became a casualty of commotion and noise at one polling station.
Faced with disruptions and inquiries about voting delay, the officer’s emotional response led to her wig being cast aside, reflecting the challenges of the moment.
Pumula Constituency had its share of chuckles when National Assembly candidate Cde Pumulani Nsingo moved from one polling station to the other checking for his name on the voters’ roll before finding it at Pumula Glendenning Hall.
In Nketa Constituency, an accidental identity mix-up created a comic scenario.
A voter sharing a name with an aspiring candidate found herself on the list of candidates on the ballot paper and she came out of the polling station boasting that she had voted for herself.
Binga South’s Khamba tent polling station witnessed a plea for a set of ballot papers from a woman who claimed to have mistakenly deposited unmarked ones.
She was, however, refused fresh ones.
In another amusing incident, a male voter attempted to place marked ballot papers behind the voting booth instead of in the ballot box, leaving officials perplexed.
Bulawayo had its own drama as a candidate was told to wait for his turn in the queue by a presiding officer.
The candidate, who pleaded with the officer to allow him to jump the queue, was eventually allowed to jump the queue after complying with the instructions to wait for his turn.
In Kezi, a group of men that was seen imbibing at a business centre close to a polling station, surprised many people when they said they were registered as voters in South Africa, hence could not participate in local elections.
The day also featured instances of individuals trying their luck, with mixed outcomes.
One girl attempted to vote without registration.
In another incident Mariya Nyoni who had a torn identity document pleaded with the officials to allow her to vote and after examining the document, the officials concluded that her photo was visible and allowed her to vote.
In Victoria Falls, an aspiring councillor fainted upon learning he had lost, confirming the emotional rollercoaster of the electoral process.
Online Reporter