The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) says there was nothing sinister in a video circulating on social implying that one of its officers had tempered with ballot papers in the absence of polling agents.
Yesterday, there was a circulating video in which a ZEC elections officer at Mhizha Primary school in Highfields was being harassed by unidentified men who were demanding answers as to why she had opened the election material without their knowledge.
The electoral mother body expressed displeasure over the incident saying the officer had been carrying administrative duties and have since reported the incident to the police.
“The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission would like to express its displeasure at the harassment of its electoral officer by MDC Alliance candidate and agents at Mhizha Primary School in Highfields East Constituency yesterday 24 March 2022 while she was lawfully conducting her duties. This incident is circulating on social media misleading the electorate implying that the electoral officer is contravening the law.
“Administratively the presiding officer was checking received election materials to ascertain that all was in order before the conduct of the election. The actions of the MDC Alliance candidate and agents constitute an electoral offence as outlined in section 88 of the Electoral Act as read with paragraph 7(i)(c) of the Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Candidates.
“The Commission has reported the matter to the police for investigation. The commission wishes to reiterate that there is a polling station opening procedure which is done before opening of the polling station, where all election material is checked and verified by the polling officers. The Commission urges all election candidates, agents and observers to adhere to the code of conduct for observers and election agents. Only accredited people are allowed to enter polling stations outside polling period,” ZEC said in a statement.
