adminProsper Ndlovu Senior Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) yesterday completed training of polling officers for tomorrow’s ward run-off elections with deployment of the teams to their respective polling centres on today.
The run-off elections would be conducted in three wards where contesting candidates received an equal number of votes in the 31 July elections.
The three are Kusile Rural District Council’s Ward Five in Lupane, Ward Four in Kadoma Municipality and Ward 30 in Mutasa Rural District Council.
Cde Soneni Tshuma of Zanu-PF and Mr Ubunene Ncube of MDC-T, who polled 419 votes each, will battle it out for Ward Five in the Kusile Rural District Council.
In an interview yesterday, Matabeleland North provincial elections officer Mr Mark Ndlovu said all was in place for the holding of elections in Lupane.
“We are ready for the run-off election. We have just concluded training for the polling officers and deployment would be done today,” said Mr Ndlovu.
“We recruited ward election officers and their deputies, presiding officers and polling officers. We have four polling stations for Ward Five, which are Kana, Esibombo, Msewele and Sinqobile Primary Schools.
“In the past we used to cast lots when candidates got equal votes but now the new electoral law requires that we hold a run-off election.”
Mr Ndlovu said training of voter educators was done on 30 to 31 August after which the teams were deployed to conduct voter education in the community.
He said polling officers, who completed their two-day training yesterday, will be deployed today to polling stations and do rehearsals ahead of Wednesday’s elections.
“All logistics are in place and we do not have any challenge,” said Mr Ndlovu.
In a notice Zec chief executive officer Mr Lovemore Sekeramayi said the electoral body has printed 9 300 ballot papers for the exercise.
The tender for the printing of the ballot papers was awarded to a Harare based company, Printflow Private Limited.
Kadoma Municipality was allocated 3 000 ballot papers, 2 900 for Kusile while Mutasa got 3 400.
On voting day the polling stations will be open at 7am and close at 7pm.
Online Reporter
derick.khumalo