Bulawayo working class fear losing out on voting

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PROSPECTIVE voters in Bulawayo have expressed concern that they might fail to vote in tomorrow’s by-elections arguing Wednesday is a business day and unfriendly to the majority.

PROSPECTIVE voters in Bulawayo have expressed concern that they might fail to vote in tomorrow’s by-elections arguing Wednesday is a business day and unfriendly to the majority. BY LUYANDUHLOBO MAKWATI

Tomorrow, the country will hold by-elections to fill constituencies that fell vacant after 21 MDC-T MPs were recalled and expelled from Parliament for defecting to the MDC Renewal team.

Five by-elections are due in Mpopoma, Lobengula, Pumula, Makokoba and Luveve constituencies.

Potential voters told Southern Eye that President Robert Mugabe had not declared a national holiday to allow many to vote tomorrow.

Polls traditionally open from 6am and close at 7pm.

Zenzo Sibanda from Gwabalanda high-density suburb ruled out any chances of him voting because he will be at work.

“I work at a local supermarket and I start work at 6am knocking off at 7pm when polling stations would have closed. ZEC (Zimbabwe Electoral Commision) should take us seriously because they are depriving us of our right to vote,” Sibanda said.

Methuseli Ncube, an Upper Six student indicated that he could not afford to miss lessons to go and vote.

“As it is I want to go and exercise my right as a voter and this would have been second time voting.

I did indicate at school that I would like to go and vote and our teachers have said we should do that during our own spare time.

They would expect us to be at school till 5pm. It won’t be easy to get to the polling station on time considering the hustle in the public transport system,” Ncube said.

Teachers who spoke to this publication on condition of anonymity said the move by ZEC was not good as it would likely disrupt learning in schools which had been selected as polling stations. Non-teaching days are best for using any school as polling station.

“We work with children and we know that when there would activity at school which is not related to learning.

Voters at times develop an attitude while others become hostile and that could expose our children to danger because of the activity that would be taking place,” one of the teachers – not authorised to speak to the press – said