Masvingo (New Ziana) – The Masvingo branch of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC)on Wednesday assured voters it will make every effort to ensure they were all able to vote in the upcoming March 26 parliamentary and local government by-elections.

ZEC deputy provincial officer, Maxwell Ncube said polling stations will be set up in all areas, including hard-to-reach ones, to ensure that no voter was disenfranchised by factors such as long distance or flooded rivers.

“We set polling stations considering all factors, for those who stay across rivers we have placed polling stations there in the event that there are some floods and also those who stay beyond mountains polling stations are already at their places,” he said.

Masvingo province will hold two parliamentary by-elections for vacant National Assembly seats in Chivi South and Mwenezi East constituencies to replace, respectively, Killer Zivhu, who lost the seat after being suspended by the ruling ZANU (PF) party, and Joosbi Omar, also of the ruling party, who died.

There will also be local government by-elections in Bikita, Chiredzi and Chivi following the death of the incumbents.

In the provincial capital, Masvingo, by-elections will be held in five wards to replace councilors recalled by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.

Ncube said the elections body will also conduct voter education in various constituencies, encouraging people to register as voters.

New Ziana