Villagers vote under headmen's supervision

The villagers were yesterday summoned to their village heads’ residences and instructed on the ‘voting procedure’ come election day.

From 7 to 9 am, villagers from Mushamba and Kanenungo villages voted under the leadership of Batsirai Chiroodza, who is reported to be an ex- policeman who is now a staunch supporter of Zanu (PF).

Most villagers revealed that they had been threatened by the traditional leaders that failure to comply with the directive meant that they supported the opposition.

Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Chairperson, Justice Rita Makarau expressed concern at reports indicating that a lot of people had been assisted to vote.

She told journalists that the electoral body was in the process of verifying why people were being assisted to vote.

From 9- 11 am, villagers from Chaku and Katsande were assisted to vote by their village heads.

“Our names were ticked in the village head’s register and all those who defied yesterday’s directive are going to be disciplined after elections,” said a villager who refused to be identified.

Another first time voter only identified as Gwauya revealed that specific instructions had been given to them because they were viewed as ‘the born frees who had the potential to sell the country”.

Villagers from Kaerere, Kativhu and Chirwodzi also queued behind their village heads to cast their vote from 11 am to 1pm.