Polling closes peacefully in Tsholotsho RDC by-elections

Gibson Mhaka in Tsholotsho

POLLING stations in the Tsholotsho Rural District Council (RDC) by-elections closed at 7pm on Saturday, with election officials reporting a peaceful voting process across all three wards that went to the polls.

No incidents of violence or disturbances were recorded during voting, which election authorities said proceeded smoothly throughout the day.

Providing a provisional update from the Tsholotsho RDC Command Centre after the close of polling, Tsholotsho District Elections Officer Mr Phanankosi Mpofu said some polling stations still had voters in queues at 7PM and were being allowed to cast their ballots in accordance with electoral regulations.

Mr Mpofu said the figures available were provisional as election officials were still receiving and consolidating returns from polling stations.

“In Ward 1, a total of 722 people voted, comprising 253 males and 469 females.

Ward 10 recorded 911 voters, of whom 223 were males and 688 were females, while Ward 21 had 725 voters, including 231 males and 494 females,” he said.

Mr Mpofu stressed that the statistics remained provisional and were subject to change as the final results and voter turnout figures were still being compiled following the closure of polling stations.

The counting of votes is expected to commence immediately after the completion of polling processes, with official results set to be announced once verification and collation had been completed.