Zimbos in the second city speak on recent elections
As the clock struck midnight on Saturday, 26 August, Zimbabwe’s Electoral Commission announced the news that many expected, some feared and others welcomed: President Emmerson Mnangagwa had won.
The 80-year-old ZanuPF veteran was declared victorious at the polls, re-elected with 52.6 percent of the vote, edging out Nelson Chamisa, who managed 44 percent.
Refusing to accept defeat, the CCC leader has branded the election results ‘false and a sham’ and is demanding a re-run.
Adding weight to Chamisa’s protests, election observers from SADC released a preliminary report stating the elections fell short of the required standards to be deemed free and fair.
With uncertainty over what happens next, The Voice took to the streets of Francistown to find out what Zimbabweans in the second city make of it all…
Melody Mere, 43, Harare
Nothing changed on these elections. It was an exact repetition of what happened in 2018. The elections were not free or fair. I think there was too much corruption, more especially in the rural areas like Masvingo and Tjeredzi.
Others even got scared to vote as they were instructed to vote for ZanuPF and they were threatened. They were also told to pass by the village head man before casting their vote to show him or her who they voted for.
That scared many people from voting. Myself I did not return to Zim for the elections as I did not have much time because of work; it would have been a waste of time anyway – there will be no change in Zimbabwe.
Morozi Mukuru, 40, Bulawayo
In my opinion the elections went well with no abuse or corruption. It was very peaceful and there was no violence. I went home to vote, and my party won. I was voting in Bulawayo were the opposition won all the seats but we accepted the defeat graciously.
I would like to encourage other Zimbabweans to always return home to cast their votes. It is silly to miss out on your democratic right to vote because from there they are the ones who will complain on social media that the elections were not free.
We are about 16 million in our country, and I am sure less than 6 million voted, where were the rest? We should all vote. My homeboys and girls are scattered in neighboring countries like Botswana, South Africa so it is easy for them to go and vote.
Hlompho k sibanda, 23, harare
Chamisa was supposed to be the President – it is just that the elections were not fair at all. Mnangagwa flawed the whole thing. I travelled all the way to Harare to vote. While we were not harassed and everything was peaceful, there was plenty of nonsense going on.
There was a lot of confusion, ballot papers were missing and names of other people weren’t on the registration roll. I am not happy at all about the result of these elections.
Blessing Ngelufro, 37, Harare
I left Botswana on the 19th to give myself plenty of time to prepare for voting – actually, I just came back today. On the day of the election, I went to the polling station early in the morning as it was said voting was to start at 7am.
However, we had to wait until about 12 in the afternoon before the voting got underway. It was just cool everywhere with no noise. Chamisa won in my area.
Roots Roots, 40, Bulawayo
Yes, I voted, and I was voting for the ZanuPF and it won. The elections went well with fairness. They are reforms that are going to be made by the ruling party to restore some of the weak areas, which is a good thing. My countrymen, please when it is time to vote, let’s all go to vote so that our voices are heard.
Anonymous
My sister, it is just that our country is very dangerous. If they find that you did an interview with the media, they send people to look for you. I can be killed for speaking about Zimbabwe. They were no elections in Zimbabwe. The things that were happening were boring.
It was not fair and honest at all. The ruling party did their usual tricks to win the so called elections. Our country will never change; ZanuPF will remain in power until the day Jesus comes down from heaven!