THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) and the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) observer team yesterday hailed the peaceful atmosphere that prevailed during the referendum for a new constitution, saying a few incidents of violence had been recorded.
Report by Everson Mushava/ Blessed Mhlanga
However, just over two million out of over six million registered votes cast ballots, reflecting over 50% apathy going by the voters’ roll and even higher considering that 12 million ballot papers were printed to cater for unregistered voters .
Zec chairperson Justice Rita Makarau told journalists in Harare that over two million people had voted in the referendum with the final results expected within five days.
The head of delegation for the Sadc Election Commission Forum, Fako Likoti, and the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (Zesn), an independent election observer group, also endorsed the poll as generally free and fair.
“We would like to commend Zec for an efficient and credible electoral process. All Zimbabweans expressed their view in the process,” Likoti said.
Zimbabwe last Saturday conducted a referendum on the draft constitution that came after four years of political bickering.
Justice Makarau said although the commission was facing several logistical problems in various provinces such as transport, bad weather and communication challenges, she was sure results would be proclaimed within five days as prescribed by the law.
“We are fairly happy with the way things have been going. Over two million Zimbabwean exercised their right to vote,” she said.
“The referendum process progressed with a few incidents. In most provinces, counting has been completed at the polling stations and the returning officers have moved to the ward collation centres where tallying is in progress. Results will be posted outside polling stations in compliance with the provisions of the law.”
Addressing a separare Press conference, Zesn chairman Solomon Zwana said although the observer group was concerned with various issues, the referendum was held in a peaceful environment with minor incidents.
Zesn deployed 600 observers throughout the country’s 10 provinces.
Zesn reported “an incident of a Zanu PF supporter in Matanga, Midlands Province, positioned within a five-metre radius of the polling station taking down names of the people who were voting”.
The MDC-T yesterday expressed concern over the alleged heavy presence of Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operatives and known Zanu PF officials among polling officers.
“It was worrying to see CIO operatives on the roll of polling officers alongside known Zanu PF activists. This would send a frightening signal to voters in an election to select political leaders. These people have no place in a polling station,” said Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya.
unonyepa iwe chikwinya
A useless and meaningless exercise.
Jittery mdc puppets seeing shadows of electoral humiliation by the unstoppable revolutionary Zanu PF party. Their wish was to see chaos in the referendum and find excuse to boycott the June elections. The game is on, June 2013 the Mdc will be permanently consigned to the puppet dust bin where it belongs with Unita, Rhodesia Front, Renamo and UANC.
Give me some of that stuff you are smoking mfondini!!
Wishful thinking. Paranoid. Heartless..Even your skeleton is feeling weary from your useless .stupid flesh. Brainwashed…”the puppetry talk” shows that you are disadvantaged intellectually and even politically…or you might be out of touch with reality..It is Zanu PF which has subjected millions of people to misery..
What a waste of money, resources and manpower.
@Mangena- at least 2 million plus people did not think so..or do you count yourself 3 million times?
ZEC prints 12 million ballot papers when they expected a 100% turn-up to be a lil over 6million voters incl the dead on the roll.
Welcome Justice Makarau uyu anonzi Kazembe akaratidza kuti anotopenga uyu.
thats crazy indeed. they expected todlers to vote.
Phunyu smokes Malawian gold, quite intoxicating indeed. Locate his shameless outburst in this context
at least its a beggining 4 democracy. hope it works
The manner in which the voting process was done was intimidatory especially the part where one was required to show his or her ballot to the Returning Officer before casting it. This part should be done away with.
Thumps up to all those who casted their votes. We need to move on in our beloved country of Zimbabwe. Those who dont expect things to run smoothly you are urged to move out of our country, we would be good without you.
So far so good only the issue of showing ur ballot paper to the returning officer was nt gud infact it carries an element of intimidation…to hell with it
@JAKU & JOHN VOLSTER I think its your first time to cast a vote that’s the procedure, u don’t need to be afraid of your vote until or unless u were trying to do the opposite of ‘yes’ & ‘no’ then, u are very stupid!!!
MDC-T have a lot of work to do between now and the general elections to work on voter apathy. The reason for the apathy is that they have been sitting doing nothing whilst their adversaries have being using covert means to coerce the rural folks. The past weekend I was in my rural home where i asked some church members how much they understood the constitution and whether they would vote. Their response was that they didn’t really understand the constitution but “yes we will vote”. The reason for voting (in large numbers) was “we were told we would be beaten if we do not vote” Shame on Zanu PF.
shame on u too mdc
Biting na Chamisa could not vote because they are aliens
this constitution is all about wasting money 4 nothing
ZANU PF and MDC sponsored paper ,the numbers that went to cast their votes are fewer than the registered voters .Is not this a vote of no confidence in the inclusive Government.Sure Mugabe and Tsvangirai can not sell an idea to Zimbabwe.Gentlemen please step aside let others try.
@John Volster.
Its a pity you are showin signs that ths was your first time to vote. The showing of your ballot stamp to the returning officer from a distance has been there since the inception of democracy.
It is a security measure meant to prove that the very ballot you are casting is not fraudulent or was not obtained from external source.
Its meant to curb rigging. So wats wrong abt it.
By the way im mdc.
2million voters chete in a country of almost 7million potential voters.
Zpf has deflated the figures so we wont be surprised by paultry election figures come june or july.
These guys are not and will not allow any mobile voter registration,in fear of the new young urban voters though we know the exercise is ongoing in rural areas.
The paultry figure is also meant to disprove Bitis observation that two thirds of ppl on the voters roll are ‘dead’ votes who resurrect on election days.
The mdc surely has a lot of work to do.from my own point of view most of the people who voted in the referendum are zanu pf supporters.it always turns out like most of the mdc supporters usually shy away from the ballot.tsvangirai and company have a huge task of mobilizing their suppoters to participate in elections.also of importance is to capture new voters to replace all those people who voted in 2008 and who left the country from then until now.