malvernmugadzikwa
Sunday Mail Reporters
THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) will in the next two days start dispatching ballot papers for Wednesday’s harmonised elections to over 12 000 polling stations countrywide as preparations reach the home stretch.
This comes as ZEC yesterday completed training 150 000 polling officers to administer the elections ahead of their deployment, which is set to begin tomorrow.
Ballot papers and other crucial voting materials will be distributed under police escort.
The elections management body was at the weekend finalising the printing of 7 126 600 ballots for the presidential election, 7 098 750 for National Assembly polls and 6 854 250 others for local authority elections.
Millions of Zimbabweans are expected to vote countrywide on Wednesday. They will be electing the country’s next President, parliamentarians and councillors.
Wednesday is a public holiday, in terms of Section 38(2) of the Electoral Act.
In an interview, ZEC deputy chairperson Ambassador Rodney Kiwa said all was set for the elections.
“The commission has acquired all the necessary materials and is preparing to deploy both material and human resources to polling stations for the conduct of a credible election on August 23,” he said.
“The last major electoral activity being conducted before the upcoming elections is the training of polling officers, which commenced on August 17 and is expected to end on August 19, 2023.
“Ballot papers will be deployed as soon as the printing process is complete. They will be transported by vehicles accompanied by police to ensure adequate security.
“All 150 000 recruited elections personnel have been trained.”
He said the last training programme ended yesterday, and “it involved training polling officers and those manning command centres”.
Ambassador Kiwa said last week’s observers briefing outlined ZEC’s preparedness.
“Observers were taken through the journey from the delimitation exercise, mobile voter registration exercise, inspection of the voters’ roll, the proclamation of the 2023 harmonised elections, nomination of candidates
and statistics, the voters’ roll and issuance, election of chiefs to the Council of Chiefs and printing of ballot papers.
“The chief elections officer also did a presentation on the polling process and transmission of results,” he said.
Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga, he added, gave a brief on the country’s security and political environment.
Preparations: In Beitbridge, training of polling and police officers who will man polling stations ended yesterday.
Deployment of the officers to their respective stations is expected to commence today — with the polling officers collecting voting materials, mainly ballot boxes and polling booths — from the district’s 21 ward centres.
Polling officers are also expected to conduct voting rehearsals and finalise all logistical issues between Monday and Tuesday.
In Mashonaland Central, the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) last week completed rehabilitating about 903 kilometres of rural roads leading to polling stations to facilitate easier access to the centres.
Speaking during a tour of the projects, RIDA provincial coordinator Ms Molly Shoniwa said boreholes close to polling stations have also been rehabilitated.
She said RIDA plans to rehabilitate 1 400km of roads before polling day, while water bowsers will be stationed at polling stations without access to potable water.
“We are sure that the remaining polling stations will be completed by election day.
“Tents are now being moved to polling stations and we are confident that the roads are trafficable,” she said.
In Hwange and Binga districts, Matabeleland North, political parties were finalising their campaigns, with the ruling party ZANU PF and the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) the most visible.
By yesterday, ZEC was yet to begin setting up polling stations in the two districts.
Matabeleland North province — which has 13 National Assembly constituencies and 197 wards — will have 918 polling stations across seven districts.
In Mashonaland East, ZEC officials were seen setting up a polling station at Piccadilly in Marondera East constituency.
In Marondera Central, setting up of most polling stations was at an advanced stage, including at Dombotombo and the district administrator’s office.
Peaceful environment
Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioners Paul Nyathi said law-enforcement authorities were prepared to ensure elections are held in a peaceful environment.
“In this regard, ZRP (Zimbabwe Republic Police) has deployed adequate manpower at all polling stations set up by ZEC,” he said.
“The police officers have been duly briefed by the commissioner-general and they are blending well with officers deployed by ZEC.
“We are saying it is all systems go in terms of maintaining law and order in the country.”
Police, he said, had deployed enough officers to all charge offices to make sure all reports are attended to expeditiously.
“ZRP will also conduct patrols in residential and industrial areas, on farms and in all public places,” he continued.
“We also reiterate that after voting, people should return to their respective homes, workplaces or go back to their respective social activities and not interfere with electoral processes.
“We will not allow people to gather at polling stations after voting.
“In other words, we are saying we will not allow people to incite the public to gather.
“As police, we will act against those who will incite people to gather at polling stations.”
Readiness: Representatives of political parties contesting the elections told The Sunday Mail that they were ready for the polls.
United Zimbabwe Alliance (UZA) leader Ms Elisabeth Valerio, who is standing in the presidential election, said she was confident of winning the elections.
“I have been touring the whole country over the last 10 days and we are being well-received,” she said.
“In the limited time remaining, we had to put up an enormous number of posters.
“So, as a team, we are travelling from town to town, putting up our presidential posters.
“I am engaging residents of each community, hearing from them directly about the challenges they are facing and asking them what they expect from me as president if I am to be given the mandate to lead Zimbabwe.”
Her party has fielded 31 National Assembly candidates.
National People’s Congress (NPC) presidential candidate Engineer Wilbert Mubaiwa said: “NPC is geared for the elections come 23 August.
“Incidentally and by the grace of God, we also have two National Assembly candidates and 30 local authority election contestants and we are on course to alter the trajectory of governance in Zimbabwe.
“We believe it is a good beginning for the National People’s Congress.”
United African National Congress (UANC) president Mr Gwinyai Muzorewa said his party was geared for the elections.
“I do not think the political atmosphere will flare up or get worse as we move towards August 23,” he said.
“It is my hope that ZEC will not create or cause a chaotic situation by redirecting voters to polling stations they did not sign up for, due to this delimitation.
“The UANC message to the people of Zimbabwe is simple: Peace and prosperity will bring a healthy political atmosphere.
“I urge all citizens to vote for a leader who will not fail them.”
Zimbabwe Coalition for Peace and Development (ZCPD) leader Mr Trust Chikohora said the elections were preceded by a peaceful environment.
“Our expectations are that we should continue to observe peace before August 23, during and even after elections.
“We should be free to express our will and vote for whoever we want to vote for.
“I encourage the people of Zimbabwe to go out in their numbers and vote.”
Efforts to get a comment from CCC spokesperson Advocate Fadzai Mahere were fruitless.
She did not respond to calls made to her phone or WhatsApp text messages sent to her mobile phone.
Online Reporter