Bubi Umguza Constituency: Sokwanele Update #6
First hand information has just come in from Bubi Umguza Constituency in Northern Matabeleland. Jacob Thabani, the MDC candidate is pitched against zanupf’s infamous Obert Mpofu.
Early this afternoon, a polling station was visited by a zanupf supporter with a bundle of ballots which he proclaimed were postal ballots. Postal ballots were meant to have been submitted prior to the start of the regular vote. He walked in and started to record the ballots in the Polling Station book when the MDC Election Agent stood his ground and refused to sign the book. The Zimbabwe Election Commission agent acted in accordance with his responsibility and contacted a member of the Constituency support group.
Support arrived at the station with experienced individuals and the Presiding Officer was informed that should he accept the postal ballots they would ensure the results from the polling station would be disqualified in the final constituency count.
In other districts in this area voters have been told to stay at home unless they have ZANU PF cards, as they will have to produce those before they can vote.
Obert Mpofu was also reported to have moved a polling station to his home about 10 kms away, but after pressure from voters he was forced to move it back.
This constituency serves 54 000 voters with a total of 104 polling stations. This incident is surely the tip of the iceberg.
