Zimbabweans have begun exposing irregularities in the country’s voting system ahead of the 2018 harmonized elections using popular social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. The interception of these social media platforms has given ordinary Zimbabweans a powerful voice to expose various dirty tricks being implemented by politicians to stay in power.
It used to be a different scenario a few years ago when the dissemination of news was solely in the hands of print media and state broadcaster ZBC. Before the paradigm shift being brought about by social media in the information and publicity industry, issues of rigging elections were not exposed in real time.
Over the weekend, many people across the country’s ten provinces took their grievances to social media to expose various malpractices that took center stage in the ZanuPF primary elections.
Mbare residents took their protests to Facebook against Tendai Savanhu who resorted to using dirty tricks at the polling station by delaying arrival of ballot papers and also making sure they come in short numbers against the crowd that was waiting to vote.
A ZRP Officer delivering ballot papers at a polling station over the weekend at the beginning of the ongoing ZanuPF Primary Elections
In other parts of the country, voters took their cases to social media to expose serious irregularities in the ongoing ZanuPF primary elections. Some of the hard evidence brought forward by people has forced the ruling party to order a rerun of the primaries in various constituencies:
Here are some of the irregularity cases being exposed by the public since the voting process began over the weekend:
#ZanuPFprimaries – Aspiring #ZANUPF MP candidate for Kwekwe Central withdrew from the race citing violence & compromised personal security pic.twitter.com/PiksS85fD2
— Dewa Mavhinga (@dewamavhinga) May 1, 201
#ZanuPFprimaries disorder during Chegutu primary elections by zanu pf facilitators,the voting procedure began around 7pm instead of 7am what a shame,using cardboxes as containers,guyz lets be serious
— Dean Wabloh (@DWabloh) April 30, 2018
In Musikavanhu Constituency (Chipinge), cell regular names are missing in the voter’s roll (cell register). One of the candidates alleged to have been in possession of the cell registers @zppinfo @VoteWatch263 #ZanuPFprimaries
— TheZimbabweSentinel (@sentinelzim) April 30, 2018
#Mutare #ZanuPFPrimaries : Party members at Murahwa Pry, are singing Chimurenga songs as they call for the voting class door to be closed and voting cancelled till their grievances are addressed @jsnetzim @ZimMediaReview @admire2mare @gladysnyaumwe @MurembaAshley @ChiwetuVanessa pic.twitter.com/xAaZB3rxep
— Farai Shawn Matiashe (@FaraiMatiashe) April 29, 2018
Hilarious!!! At polling station Charles Clark Pr School in Magunje Constituency (ward 10), one candidate Barbara Chipangura came with ballot papers. @zppinfo @zimleague @ZimMediaReview @VoteWatch263 #ZanuPFprimaries
— TheZimbabweSentinel (@sentinelzim) April 29, 2018
How can you have a free & fair election if you can’t hold an ordinary primary election in your party? That’s why we’re saying @ZECzim we’re not going 2 forgive each other, very soon I will be calling 4 demos 2 demand electoral reforms- @nelsonchamisa #WorkersDay #ZanuPFprimaries
— #Register2Vote (@NMkapikoh) May 2, 2018
Zanu PF Harare North Constituency call for re run of the primary elections @ZimMediaReview @263Chat #ZanuPFprimaries #263Chat #Twimbos #Zimbabwe pic.twitter.com/Mb2uWG6a7Z
— #ZimVotes2018 (@Zimvotes2018) May 2, 2018
