Polling officers at Raylton Sports Club were still waiting for the stationery by noon. Voting was supposed to start at 7 am and run up to 7 pm. There was no activity at the other polling centre in Harare Central.
“Voting hasn’t started because we are still waiting for the stationery,” one of the officers manning the Raylton polling centre told The Zimbabwean.
By 10.00am, party officials coordinating the voting exercise could be seen basking in the sun with no prospective voters in sight and bare tables in front of them. Officers at Montague were also facing empty tables in front of them.
Close to noon, voting still had not started at the centre. The police officers who were there to provide security were instead strolling around and some went as far as 500 metres away from the station.
One man who was at the polling station but refused to identify himself said the polling officers had said they had not yet received voting materials.
“They (Party HQ officials) said they are still waiting for the books and papers and other materials to use,” he said. The party has of late been reported to be broke.
The Zanu (PF) primaries have been rescheduled twice. Initially, they were supposed to be held on Monday 24 June, only to be shifted to Wednesday before finally settling on Tuesday.
This has raised questions among analysts why the party is rushing for an election when it is still faced with serious internal challenges.
The elections are being run by the party’s provincial elections directorate.
Post published in: News