26 March 2022
Prosperity Sikhosana
All eyes are on Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) after a video with one of its officers opening ballot material circulated on social media.
The ZEC officer in the video is accused of opening or administering polling material in the absence of polling agents.
If proven true this act is in breach of section 51 of the Electoral Act.
Responding to the allegations ZEC issued a statement headed:
HARRASSMENT OF A ZEC ELECTORAL OFFICER
The statement reads:
“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 Highfield 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.”
ZEC said that the officer was administratively checking the election material to ensure that everything was in order before the actual by-elections.
ZEC has reported the actions of MDC Alliance candidate for “harassing the officer” and or shooting the video as an offense stated in section 88 of the Electoral Act, Paragraph 7(i)(c) of the Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Candidates.
“The commission wishes to reitarate 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 officers.”
Already ZEC is the talk of the day as Zimbabweans await by-elections slated for today the 26th of March.
The By-elections are being held to replace Members of Parliament as well as councillors who were recalled by Mwonzora of the MDC T party.
Fadzai Mahere the spokesperson of Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) already has a querie with ZEC.
“Glenview North is missing a polling Station. This Constituency should have 24 polling stations but it only has 23. When our polling agents queries this with ZEC, they were told the number of registered voters at this polling Station had gone down hence the removal,” bemoaned Mahere.
Again taking to Twitter to alert the public on what was going on, Mahere tweeted;
“The headman of Chibamu Village has just rung a bell to announce that people from Ward 15 Norton will vote in Mhondoro Mubaira and everyone will be accompanied for polling. This is in violation of the Electoral Act.”
Well, for today’s by-elections, the public is advised that the ballot papers have been printed in black and white therefore one should look out for names and logos in order to find their desired candidates.
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