#PROVINCIAL OUTLOOK
In Manicaland, there were
reports that in Mutare
Central, Zanu PF supporters
and their candidates were
milling near polling stations
wearing Zanu PF regalia
chanting party slogans, a day
before the March 26 elections.
One Bepete a Mutare Central
Ward 4 Zanu PF candidate
and one Mudembe a Zanu PF
member for Mutare Central
Ward 5, allegedly ganged up
and went around all polling
stations attempting to tamper
with ballot boxes in the
presence of police officers.
They also promised to assault
CCC polling agents and some
of the Zanu PF supporters, in
a drunk stupor, went around
Ward 4 and 5 allegedly
threatening to kill people if
they voted for CCC. Sadly, no
arrests were made and
despite polling day having
gone ahead without incident,
such threats, which are meant
to instil fear into the people,
undermine the integrity of
electoral processes in
Zimbabwe. This is a bad sign
ahead of the 2023 national
harmonized elections.
In Chipinge Central, Ward 4,
Zanu PF activists were going
door to door advising people
that they must feign illiteracy
on the voting day so that they
would be assisted so that the
party would know they voted
for Zanu PF. This instilled
fear in most people in the
area.
At Dombo village in
Tsholotsho South, a Zanu PF
activist only identified as
Moses Nyathi and crew were
going door to door forcing
citizens to register under
their cell group exercise. It
was also noted that the crew
was warning citizens not to
support the national
assembly candidate for CCC
party Tapson Sibanda and
further said they would
unleash violence if Sibanda
won.
In Tsholotsho, a Zanu PF
activist Mbongeni Ndlovu
forced vendors to board
hired Zupco buses so as to
attend the party’s rally in
Tsholotsho at Tshefunye.
One of the traditional
leaders known as Chief Saba
of Saba village in Binga has
been consistent in openly
campaigning for Zanu PF
and threatening opposition
members with unspecified
action. He has been recorded
twice in our ZPP MMR as a
perpetrator since February.
It was reported that Chief
Saba of ward 9 Saba village,
instructed all village heads
not to wear any yellow
regalia. It is said he warned
that if any of them is found
wearing such a regalia they
would be dismissed from
working as a village head.
Saba went on to instruct
village heads to write down
names of citizens who
supported CCC so that they
would be dealt with.