As at 4pm, on Wednesday morning some polling stations in Harare were yet to receive ballot papers, much to the frustration of voters, some of whom reportedly went back home. The opposition Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) said the uncalled for delays was a calculated manipulation of an election and a move to frustrate urban voters. The opposition has a strong support base in major urban areas throughout the country.
“They are running a shambolic and shameless election,” said opposition figure, Tendai Biti. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) attributed the delays to legal consternations that occurred throughout the Harare province. “ZEC hereby declares its commitment to extending the voting period accordingly,” it said in a statement.
This means that in the affected areas, voting will go on until the wee hours except for polling stations which failed to open on time.
“Voting day without voting material. ZEC is a reproach but we are winning this unfree and unfair election. They are going to be surprised big time. In fact they are going to be shocked,” tweeted Thabani Mpofu of CCC.