Presidential spokesperson George Charamba has said extending voting hours beyond the stipulated time, that is 7 PM this Wednesday, may not be necessary.
Posting on X using one of his handles, @Tinoedzazvimwe1, Charamba claimed that the majority of polling stations that opened late eventually received ballot papers and by afternoon, very few voters had yet to cast their ballots.
Charamba’s claims are contrary to multiple reports indicating that some polling stations were yet to open by 4 PM in Harare while some had run out of ballot papers. Wrote Charamba:
ZIMBABWEANS MUST LEARN TO HAVE THE DISCIPLINE TO DESCRIBE PROBLEMS WITHIN SCALE, WITHOUT GRATUITOUS WHINING: I have just done rounds around suburbs of Harare, paying particular focus on polling stations affected by delayed opening.
The clear picture emerging is that voters have reduced to a trickle at those stations. Ironically heavy polling is showing in high densities where polling largely started on time.
As matters stand, even extending voting times in Harare might not be necessary. Clearly, ZEC’s approach of setting different voting stations [by alphabet] is as efficient as it is convenient.
This means all the unnecessary whining we had in the morning, while understandably triggered by ballot paper delays, largely owed to angst in some political quarters without sufficient support on the ground and guilty of a quixotic campaign strategy driven by big, impotent egos.
We should be disciplined and balanced thinkers and complainants respectively. Not this strange delight in unmerited confusion!!!!!!
Above all, we must learn to distinguish between NATIONAL PROCESSES which are sacrosanct, versus partisan gripes which are personal and impulsive.
And to avoid stoking outsiders with false grievances as if they will ever become arbiters to our NATIONAL PROCESSES!!!!!
ZEC earlier on Wednesday announced that voting hours will be extended at some polling stations due to delays in the opening of polls particularly in Harare and Bulawayo provinces.
ZEC said that in Masvingo, Matabeleland North, and Matabeleland South provinces, 100% of polling stations opened at 7 AM.
In Midlands and Mashonaland West provinces, 99% of polling stations reportedly opened at 7 AM, while in Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland East provinces, 95% of polling stations opened at 7 AM.
ZEC said 85% of polling stations opened at 7 AM in Manicaland, while in Bulawayo, 75% of polling stations opened at 8:15 AM.
More: Pindula News