News / National
Norton by Election Results Trickling in Show a Tight Contest
22 Oct 2016 at 23:00hrs | Views
According to Heal Zimbabwe Trust observers the results trickling in from various polling stations in the Norton by-election show that the election was a tight contest between the Zanu PF candidate and the independent candidate Temba.
The trust said there was generally little activity after 1pm as most people had cast their votes in the morning.
"At around 2.00pm in Ward 10, an Isuzu vehicle registration ADX 9686 was seen distributing food to ZANU PF youths stationed at the Culfur shops. It is the same vehicle that was seen at the ZANU PF base yesterday with youth who were intimidating people," said the trust.
"Around 3.00pm: the number of people trickling to vote has declined sharply. Most queues had disappeared by 4pm. Generally, the electoral environment was peaceful with no recorded incidences of overt political violence in the areas visited by HZT. HZT also took time to visit townships and beerhalls around 7pm, and the people we interacted with expressed skeptism and mistrust in the ZEC led election process. There was general voter apathy as most people shunned away from the voting process, some citing lack of confidence in ZEC conducting free and fair elections. The electoral body is under fire from opposition political parties and Civil Society organisations to implement electoral reforms and align laws to the constitution."
The trust said the voting and collation process has started. Already ZANU PF youth in ward 10 have started celebrating at the Culfur Shops basing on the results released at the ward polling station.
"From the results trickling in from several polling stations, it seems the election was a tight contest between Temba Mliswa an Independent candidate and Ronald Chindedza ZANU PF," said the trust.
The trust said there was generally little activity after 1pm as most people had cast their votes in the morning.
"At around 2.00pm in Ward 10, an Isuzu vehicle registration ADX 9686 was seen distributing food to ZANU PF youths stationed at the Culfur shops. It is the same vehicle that was seen at the ZANU PF base yesterday with youth who were intimidating people," said the trust.
"Around 3.00pm: the number of people trickling to vote has declined sharply. Most queues had disappeared by 4pm. Generally, the electoral environment was peaceful with no recorded incidences of overt political violence in the areas visited by HZT. HZT also took time to visit townships and beerhalls around 7pm, and the people we interacted with expressed skeptism and mistrust in the ZEC led election process. There was general voter apathy as most people shunned away from the voting process, some citing lack of confidence in ZEC conducting free and fair elections. The electoral body is under fire from opposition political parties and Civil Society organisations to implement electoral reforms and align laws to the constitution."
The trust said the voting and collation process has started. Already ZANU PF youth in ward 10 have started celebrating at the Culfur Shops basing on the results released at the ward polling station.
"From the results trickling in from several polling stations, it seems the election was a tight contest between Temba Mliswa an Independent candidate and Ronald Chindedza ZANU PF," said the trust.
Source - Byo24News
