via Frustrated voters turned away in Hurungwe West – DailyNews Live 11 June 2015
HURUNGWE – Dozens of potential voters were turned away in yesterday’s elections in the restive Hurungwe West constituency amid claims by rival candidates of gross irregularities, including bussing of Zanu PF supporters to polling stations.
At Rengwe Primary School in ward 16, a massive 120 would-be-voters had been turned away around 4pm when the Daily News crew arrived at the polling station. At least 35 were assisted to vote.
There were also complaints that village heads shepherded their subjects to polling stations.
“Chief Dandawo came here twice and many voters were not comfortable when he arrived,” said Tonderai Dombo, a polling agent for independent candidate Temba Mliswa.
Meanwhile, one Mliswa supporter was allegedly beaten by Zanu PF supporters in ward 17 amid accusations from the ruling party candidate Keith Guzah that the former provincial chairman was campaigning within the confines of polling stations, which is outlawed under the electoral laws.
In ward 17 by midday, 65 people were turned away on the grounds that they were not on the voters’ roll even though they had registration slips.
“I saw my name on the voters’ roll when I checked only to be told today that I was not on the list,” said Lazarus Matope from ward 17.
Mliswa accused his former party of ferrying people to polling stations.
“Some people were bussed from as far as Magunje and I have raised this issue with Zec,” Mliswa said.
“There were a lot of irregularities in the process and some Zanu PF supporters were boasting that soldiers would come from Magunje barracks to vote.”
At Nyadara polling station, 93 people failed to vote even though they adamantly claimed they were on the voters’ roll.
But eyebrows were raised over the presence of soldiers in the constituency.
Mai Musarurwa, Zanu PF chairlady in ward 15, told the Daily News that Zanu PF would win the elections. She dismissed claims by Mliswa that people had been bussed.
“People were maybe offered transport because of distance,” she said.
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