Rains delay Zanu-PF DCC elections

VOTING in most areas across the country in the District Co-ordinating Committee (DCC) elections started late yesterday and will continue today after the process was disrupted by rains.

Zanu-PF acting spokesperson Cde Patrick Chinamasa told Sunday News last night that in some provinces voting did not start as vehicles ferrying voting material got stuck while in some areas heavy rains disrupted the voting process.

Cde Chinamasa said voting will continue today in areas where they either failed to start or the polls were disrupted.

“We had our DCC elections today countrywide. Politburo members and other senior party officials were deployed to various provinces to superintend the voting processes there. They are the supervisory teams and will oversee the elections in consultation with their election commissioners. Our biggest challenge were the heavy rains. The rains disrupted voting processes in most provinces. In Midlands where I am the vehicles carrying voting materials got stuck,” he said.

“Some of the areas were not accessible. In other provinces we had the same problems where heavy rains disrupted the elections. However, in some of our administrative districts, voting went well. In areas where voting was disturbed, we will carry on tomorrow (today). Considering these circumstances, we expect all the results to be in on Tuesday nationally. We are determined to complete the voting process.”

Cde Chinamasa said the voting process was peaceful throughout the country and there were no reports of disturbances related to violence.

“We did not receive any reports of violence throughout the country on the first day of voting,” he said.

A total of 1 248 polling stations in the eight administrative provinces were set.

The national elections command centre is located at the party headquarters in Harare presided over by the National Chairperson Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, National Secretary for Security Cde Lovemore Matuke and the National Political Commissar, Cde Victor Matemadanda.

Earlier while addressing a Press conference in Gweru, Cde Chinamasa said in Midlands voting had not started by 3pm yesterday.

He said the party was using the 2017/18 voters roll to run the elections adding that a total of 120 members per district were eligible to vote.

“The 120 voters were drawn from the Youth, Women and Men’s wings and are being held under the Covid-19 rules and regulations. We are observing social distancing, recommending good hygiene and wearing of face masks,” he said.

Cde Chinamasa said there were over 20 posts which were up for grabs in each of the eight administrative districts making the Midlands Province.

He said the party suspended the elections for the position of Secretary of the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle as the party was still in the process of coming up with such a structure at district level.

Cde Chinamasa also said all positions were being voted for except Secretary for Youth and Secretary for Women Affairs.

“Also there is no voting for Secretary for Veterans of the armed struggle. We need to come up with the structures first and do vetting for war veterans, ex -political detainees, noncombatants cadres and war collaborators. After that we will come up with a register of the ex-political detainees.

“So, we have eight administrat ive districts in the Midlands Province with up to 20 posts being contested,” said Cde Chinamasa.

Mea nwh i l e , voting at most centres in Mat ab e l e l and South started late in the afternoon after ballot papers got to some centres after 2pm due to logistical issues.

There was a low voter turnout at most centres in Gwanda and Beitbridge since it was drizzling for the better part of the day.

In Beitbridge, nine posts for the DCC were uncontested and there were 31 polling stations.

Z a n u - P F ’s head of the supervisory team in Matabeleland South, Dr Sithembiso Nyoni said voting will continue today.