Masvingo gears for harmonised elections

MASVINGO province is geared for the harmonised elections slated for Monday next week, as police and election officers, including polling officers and agents, were on Wednesday deployed to various areas of operation.

When The Herald visited Masvingo Polytechnic, election observers and media personnel were still being accredited by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).

Masvingo police spokesperson Inspector Charity Mazula said the deployment of police officers started on Wednesday.

“We have started deploying our officers to polling stations throughout Masvingo,” she said. “We also hired our neighbourhood watch committee members.”

ZEC provincial election officer Mr Zex Zirabada Pudurayi said the accreditation of observers and the media was an ongoing process up to the day before the harmonised elections.

“Election observers and the media, which want to cover our elections are being accredited at Masvingo Polytechnic by our officers,” he said.

“Election agents and polling officers are receiving training after which they will be deployed to their respective polling stations in time for election day.”

Mr Pudurayi said ZEC was impressed with the peaceful environment and urged all contesting candidates to maintain serenity and tranquillity prior, during and after the watershed plebiscite.

“As ZEC we are impressed by the behaviour of political parties so far as we have not received any report of violence,” he said

“We also want to thank our police in Masvingo province for helping in this regard and we wish this will prevail beyond the election period.

“We also have officers moving around educating the electorate on how to vote, as part of the reminder and are using every forum to pass the gospel.”