Rural
voting
stations
opened
almost
on
time
with
adequate
voting
material
for
all
three
elections,
but
metropolitan
polling
stations,
particularly
in
Bulawayo
and
Harare,
opened
late.
Voting
did
not
begin
until
after
midday
in
some
polling
stations
in
Bulawayo
and
Harare,
while
other
stations
opened
after
6
pm,
and
some
voters
who
had
flocked
to
the
polling
places
ended
up
leaving
without
voting
after
waiting
for
hours.
ZEC
claimed
there
were
no
court
challenges
in
rural
areas
arising
from
disputes
over
the
outcome
of
the
sitting
of
the
Nomination
Court
on
21
June
2023,
which
delayed
the
printing
of
ballot
papers
for
urban
wards
and
constituency
candidates.
However,
the
majority
of
the
court
cases
challenging
the
outcome
of
the
Nomination
Court
were
filed
in
Bulawayo
and
Harare,
according
to
ZEC,
which
is
why
the
two
metropolitan
provinces
have
been
the
most
affected
by
the
delay
in
ballot
printing
and
hampered
the
opening
of
polling
stations
there.
Analysts
have
dismissed
these
ZEC
claims,
claiming
that
a
“compelling”
explanation
for
the
delay
in
the
opening
of
polling
stations
in
urban
areas
is
that
ZEC
was,
in
fact,
implementing
an
unfortunate
and
primitive
voter
suppression
strategy
that
violated
the
voters’
right
to
vote
in
the
affected
polling
stations
in
urban
areas.
“The
fact
that
ZEC
knew
well
in
advance
that
a
very
high
number
of
polling
stations
in
Bulawayo
and
Harare,
and
some
other
urban
areas,
will
not
open
on
time
or
that
some
will
not
have
the
local
authority
ballot
paper
but
kept
quiet
about
it;
creates
a
real
impression
that
ZEC
is
lying
about
the
real
cause
for
the
delay
in
the
opening
of
polling
stations
in
urban
areas,”
said
Professor
Jonathan
Moyo.
Although
polling
stations
in
rural
areas
opened
almost
on
schedule,
voters
were
subjected
to
Zanu
PF
Exit
Poll
Survey
desks
placed
outside
polling
stations,
where
those
manning
the
desks
noted
their
names
and
ID
numbers.
These
anomalies
have
been
recognised
and
criticised
by
observer
missions
such
as
SADC,
the
African
Union,
and
the
European
Union
Election
Observation
Mission,
who
cited
a
number
of
abnormalities
regarding
the
Election
Day
and
electoral
processes
that
have
enraged
Zanu
PF
and
the
government.
The involvement
of
the
Forever
Associates
of
Zimbabwe
(FAZ) linked
to
Zanu
PF
in
the
poll
process,
delays
in
the
distribution
of
the
voters;
roll,
and
failure
to
provide
ballot
papers
on
time
in
many
polling
locations
were
noted
by
SADC
as
some
of
the
irregularities
that
marred
the
August
23
poll.
Meanwhile,
Zanu
PF
has
won
most
parliamentary
seats
in
Midlands,
Masvingo,
Mashonaland
East,
and
all
in
Mashonaland
Central.
In
Mashonaland
West,
Zanu
PF
claimed
victory
in
all
Hurungwe
constituencies.
CCC
made
significant
gains
in
Matabeleland
North,
winning
elections
in
Lupane
East,
Lupane
West,
Nkayi
South
and
retained
its
seats
in
Hwange
and
Binga.
In
Bulawayo,
the
opposition
CCC
won
all
the
contested
seats
in
Bulawayo
while
in
Harare,
the
opposition
was
victorious
in
23
of
the
26
constituencies,
while
five
are
yet
to
be
declared.
In
Chiredzi
North,
Zanu
PF’s
candidate
Roy
Bhila
retained
the
seat
with
18
696
votes,
surpassing
CCC
candidate
Fungai
Chamisa,
who
polled
2
584.
Similarly,
in
Chiredzi
South,
Joel
Sithole
of
Zanu
PF
won
with
11
552
votes,
defeating
CCC’s
Douglas
Gumbo
with
7
528
votes.
In
Chiredzi
East,
Siyaki
Mundungehama
of
Zanu
PF
secured
victory
with
14
265
votes
while
Godfrey
Maluleke
of
CCC
received
3
922
votes.
Chiredzi
Central
witnessed
a
reversal
of
fortunes,
with
Francis
Moyo
of
Zanu
PF
receiving
7
832
votes,
while
Ropafadzo
Makumire
of
CCC
secured
12
342
votes.
The
CCC
secured
victories
in
Chinhoyi,
Norton,
Zvimba
and
Magunje.
CCC’s
Leslie
Mhangwa
also
secured
victory
in
the
Chinhoyi
seat.
CCC
candidate
Maxwell
Mavhunga
won
the
Chitungwiza
South
seat
after
polling
10
145
votes.
In
the
Gwanda-Tshitaudze
constituency,
Zanu
PF’s
Fisani
Moyo
emerged
victorious
with
8
671
votes,
defeating
CCC’s
Jastone
Mazhale,
who
received
5
889
votes.