Staff Reporter
Thousands of citizens in Kwekwe joined the rest of Zimbabwe in voting today peacefully with isolated cases of violence recorded in Amaveni.
Kwekwe generally tagged as the epicenter of electoral violence in the Midlands Province has seen most voters in Mbizo, Amaveni, and Kwekwe Central going through the process of choosing local authority, parliament, and a presidential representative in peace with one incident of violence so far noted in the W Section of Amaveni.
In an interview, aspiring Ward 8 Councillor Makomborero Mlambo said three Zanu PF supporters were assaulted by CCC members in the W Section of Amaveni and the matter has been reported to police.
“Three of our members were assaulted by CCC supporters and we are yet to ascertain what could have sparked the violence. What I know is that they have made a police report and we are waiting for police to take action.
I have spoken to the three and I inquired whether they started the violence or if they retaliated and they told me that did not retaliate. If they had started the violence or retaliated, we could have instituted disciplinary proceedings because we are saying no to violence as a party. President Emmerson Mnangagwa made it clear that we are not to engage in violence,” he said.
However, the CCC candidate for Kwekwe Central Constituency dismissed the claims that the Zanu PF members were assaulted.
“These people were at a house busy intimidating voters saying that they needed their names and identification numbers after voting. People then questioned why they were doing that in direct violation of electoral laws that is when skirmishes started.
I received calls from voters raising this issue and we noted that Zanu PF members under the Forever Associates of Zanu (FAZ) were the ones intimidating voters in Amaveni threatening them with violence if they vote for CCC,” she said.
Meanwhile at Amaveni Polling Station A as at 1400 hours, 430 people had voted, 242 female, 188 males. Seven assisted voters went through the station with 2 being male and 5 females, according to ZEC Presiding Officer Munyaradzi Chatimba.
Chatimba said voting was progressing in peace and no incidents were recorded so far.
As at 1530 hours, according to Kwekwe Central Command officer Edmund Magaya, 4017 people had voted in Ward 7, 4018 in Ward 8, 4155 in Ward 10 and 4758 in Ward 14. He said no reports of violence or electoral malpractices had been reported so far.
According to Zec Mbizo Constituency Election officer a total of 21 677 had voted in Mbizo as at 16oohours with 10 377males and 11 300 females. 126 people were turned away for reasons ranging to being non registered, no identification and use of drivers licence and expired passports. 137 blind voters went through the voting process and other illiterate voters were 141.
