…wins council seat in Zaka
Brighton Chiseva
There was a shocking incident on Election Day in Zaka district at St James Chivamba High School polling station in ward 15, Zaka Central where the school deputy head and Zanu PF candidate for the local authority seat was assisted to vote on the polling day.
The deputy head Simion Chakazani is alleged to have been assisted by a local and known Zanu PF man only identified as Chadya after allegedly telling polling officers that he wanted help.
When contacted for comment on the matter, Zanu PF provincial spokesperson Pepukai Chiwewe said he was not aware of the incident but said there was nothing amiss over what he did because it’s his right.
“I haven’t heard about that incident but there is nothing wrong with what he did, it’s his right if he was not forced to do so. Maybe he did it for fun like in some cases people say they want to be assisted by their chairperson or any other person,” Chiwewe said.
Sources said Chakazani could have been forced to be assisted as he had allegedly tried to pull of the race after his salary was ceased by the public service for being an active member in political parties having won the primaries to represent Zanu PF.
“Chakazani tried to pull off the race after his salary was ceased and he wasn’t sure of the outcome of the election. He opted to remain a teacher than losing both. I think he was forced to remain as candidate that is why he was assisted to vote since they were afraid that he might waste his vote,” said the source
By 1300hrs, the polling station had already recorded 60 assisted voters and the reasons were said to be old age, nervousness, poor eyesight and blindness among other reasons.
Cases of voter intimidation are alleged to have reigned supreme in the district and a number of people were forced to say they were illiterate and had to be assisted to vote and in a shocking incident
One of the Zanu PF groupings known as Forever Associates of Zimbabwe (FAZ) had a desk where they recorded every person who was coming to vote.
Zanu PF went on to win all three parliamentary seats in the district and won 33 out of 34 local authority seats having poached two, ward 11 and 22 from CCC which previously held the seats.
