THE just-ended Zanu PF primary elections in Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo’s Zvimba North constituency attracted only 1 600 voters, contrary to the party’s claims that more than 6 000 people voted in the area, investigations have revealed.
Herbert Moyo/Elias Mambo
Sources claim Zanu PF, countrywide, inflated figures for its primaries, with the Zvimba North revelations likely to embarrass party leader President Robert Mugabe, as this alleged fraud occurred in his home area.
Zvimba North primary election documents seen by this paper, expose the rigging that took place, as they show that on average there were no more than 250 votes in each of the 17 polling stations in the constituency.
According to official results, Chombo garnered 6 382 votes, five times more than the number of people who had voted.
“Less than 1 600 people voted in Zvimba North and these are the results per polling station,” Edwin Matibiri’s polling agent questioned. “So where did the people (Chombo’s) come from?” The agent said they refused to sign for the results, because rigging was evident.
“For example Hunyani polling station only recorded a total of 44 voters while Pindi Park had 149, Kanonwa 196 and Mvou 190,” one document compiled in protest at the alleged inflation of voting figures, read. “Windsor, which had the highest voters, only had 915.”
Matibiri refused to comment on the matter saying: “In-house Zanu PF issues cannot be discussed with the media.” Mashonaland West Provincial chairperson John Mafa yesterday confirmed that the provincial executive had received “one or two complaints”, which they had since forwarded to the party’s national elections directorate.
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“As you know, whenever elections are held, there will always be people challenging the results,” Mafa said.
Hundreds of disgruntled Zanu PF members from various constituencies have been besieging the party’s headquarters in Harare protesting irregularities in the just-ended primary elections.
