Voting goes on smoothly in Harare East, Mt Pleasant by-elections

Harare, (New Ziana)- Voting was going on well in by-elections in Mt Pleasant and Harare East constituencies as polling stations opened on time and had all the required materials such as ballot papers, finger markers, and voters’ rolls.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) displayed the voters’ roll at polling centres before voting day to enable voters to check their names at polling stations where they are registered, to avoid being turned away.

The by-elections are being held to fill vacancies that arose following the resignation from the National Assembly by CCC legislators Fadzai Mahere in Mt Pleasant and Allan Markham in Harare East.

Mahere and Markham resigned in solidarity with former CCC leader Nelson Chamisa who had ditched the party in exasperation after its secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu took over control and indicated that he wanted to restore order in the strucreless opposition outfit, which also did not have any office holders.

In Harare East, Zanu PF’s Kiven Mutimbanyoka is battling it out with independent candidate Ropafadzo Cynthia Cheza, while in Mount Pleasant the ruling party’s George Mashavave will contest against independent candidates Naison Mamuse and Bfrian Ticky.

Voters who spoke to New Ziana at Harare East’s Chikurubi polling station said they found their names on the roll and proceeded to cast their votes without glitches.

New Ziana observed a high turnout of voters in the two constituencies at Oriel Girls High School, Chisipite Senior School, and Newlands among other polling stations.

Long queues were witnessed at polling stations such as the Churchill/Hiller tent in ward seven of Mt Pleasant constituency.

Poll watchdog, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network observers reported that the polling stations were opened on time with all the essential polling materials such as ballot boxes, ballot papers, indelible finger markers, and voters’ rolls among other items.

For Harare East, which has 36 558 registered voters, ZEC said it printed 38 850 ballots, while for Mt Pleasant, with 39 582 registered voters, it printed 42 300 ballots.

The ruling Zanu PF party is confident of winning the by-elections riding
on the confusion in the opposition.

The opposition in the country is in disarray, with the once formidable CCC embroiled in turmoil since last year, starting soon after the August last year harmonized elections when Tshabangu began recalling legislators and councilors who he alleged had been imposed by Chamisa.

The ruling party has been winning the bulk of the by-elections held since the August 2023 harmonised elections.

New Ziana