Speaking to The Zimbabwean, the Returning Officer, Shelton Majowa, said most voters were coming from the nearby Mupedzanhamo flea market where vendors sell used clothes and other items to low-income earners.
“We opened at 0705 hours with a massive turnout and the queues here were stretching for as far as 100 meters until 1100 hours when the numbers started to decrease incrementally. The environment is relatively peaceful and calm. We had turned away 33 people by 1400 hours, with most of them having produced national ID photocopies, while some had drivers’ licences which do not prove citizenship,” she said.
Majowa said each polling station got 2,100 ballot papers. Nenyere Flats in the populous suburb had three polling stations while St Peter’s Primary School had four.
There was heavy police presence in Mbare and the atmosphere was calm and peaceful. Mbare constituency Zanu (PF) MP candidate, Tendai Savanhu reportedly exhorted people to vote in peace, in this suburb that in the past has been blighted by political violence.
“A few hours before you came Savanhu was moving around with police urging most of Zanu (PF) activists to desist from engaging in violence saying that those caught doing so will be prosecuted,” said a voter.
Most polling stations in the area stopped voting after 1900 Hrs, giving way to ballot counting.
Post published in: News