Election watchdog, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has urged political parties to increase voter education and awareness so that voters are aware of the legal provisions that govern the conduct of elections to enhance electoral integrity.
This follows an incident which happened in the recently held Mutasa Rural District Council Ward 6 By-election where a turned-away voter started chanting party slogans within the Bvuma Business Centre Tent polling station.
ZESN said the incident was concerning and shows a lack of understanding of electoral practices.
“While the individual was reprimanded following the intervention of the ZEC Presiding Officer at the polling station, this was in violation of Section 147 (1) (c) on the prohibition of certain activities in the vicinity of polling stations: “without derogation from any other provision of this Act or any other enactment, no person shall, within three hundred meters of any polling station on any polling day- utter slogans,” ZESN said in its report in the aftermath of the election.
“Political parties should encourage their supporters to observe electoral laws on campaigning and chanting slogans within the vicinity of polling stations,” ZESN further stated.
Aside from the incident, ZESN observers reported a generally tranquil and calm political environment in the Ward on polling day. In addition, the election saw quite a number of people being assisted to vote.
Observers reported that in all the polling stations visited or observed, there were assisted voters. Observers reported that 6 voters were assisted at the Bvuma Business Centre Tent polling station, while at the Gatsi Primary School polling station, 41 voters were assisted; 39 voters were assisted at the Madziro Village Open Space Tent polling station and 7 people were assisted to vote out of 207 who voted at St Columbus Primary School.
Assisted voting on account of illiteracy and visual impairment was mostly done by polling officials in the presence of the police in line with Section 59 of the Electoral Act on voting by illiterate or physically handicapped voters.
Meanwhile, ZESN says it is important for registered voters to participate and vote in peace in all local authority elections as these are important and accord voters the opportunity to choose leaders of their choice who will be responsible for service delivery in their areas.
