Bussed voters return to their rural homes

The Zimbabwean witnessed rural-bound commuter buses ferrying the voters who were brought into the capital by Zanu (PF) to vote in the harmonised polls.

The bussed voters, who could be seen either sleeping close their luggage or loitering in the open space west of the Rainbow Towers and opposite the Harare Showgrounds, have reportedly been staying at the party headquarters and a farm along Seke Road, some 12km south of the capital.

The remaining Zanu (PF) supporters comprising men and women were not willing to talk to The Zimbabwean, but a young man about 22 years of age, from a farm in Murewa in Mashonaland East, admitted that they were returning home after voting in Harare.

He would, however, not say why he had come to vote in Harare and where he voted, but admitted he had not had food since yesterday afternoon, adding that most of his colleagues were from Mashonaland Central.

Part of the crowd, particularly women, was dressed in party regalia.

On voting day, the MDC-T Secretary General, Tendai Biti, witnessed Zanu (PF) supporters, mostly young women and men, who had been bussed in to vote in Mt Pleasant, where Jameson Timba, a prominent member of the party who had held the seat, lost.

There have been complaints of Zanu (PF) throwing the polls by bussing people into areas traditionally considered MDC-T strongholds.

Zanu (PF) landed landslide victories in the presidential, parliamentary and municipal poll that have raised eyebrows and offset claims of systematic rigging.

MDC-T yesterday, during a press conference, declared that it was not recognising the poll results, saying it would not participate in any government institutions.

President Robert Mugabe garnered 61 percent of the presidential vote and Zanu (PF) bagged 160 seats, against Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC-T)’s slightly under 34 percent and his party’s 49.