adminSydney Mubaiwa in Bikita
The majority of voters in Bikita yesterday commended the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission for setting up polling station-based voting centres, a development they said reduced both the distance travelled and queues. Most of the voters who spoke to The Herald after casting their ballots yesterday said polling station-based voting centres were a step in the right direction.
Mr Innocent Murwira of Ward 5 in Bikita West constituency said the polling station-based voting system was very flexible and not cumbersome to voters.
“We are very pleased that ZEC has finally taken a crucial step which we believe is very important to us as voters regarding time taken to cast votes,” said Mr Murwira.
“We are very happy that we did not waste our precious time at polling stations to vote, which leaves us with more time to go to our homes and perform our daily chores.”
Mr Murwira said the new localised voting system reduced the number of people turned away from voting centres as voters cast their ballots at the same place they would have registered.
Other voters said the cutting of the distance to the polling stations will encourage a higher voter turnout.
“We used to struggle walking some long distances to polling stations, but now everyone, including the elderly can easily reach their places of voting,” said Mr Steven Manzunzu of Ward 6.
“This is a positive development which is in favour of us the voters.”
Online Reporter