Nehanda Radio Citizen Reports: 17 June 2013

Zanu PF office at Machipisa

“On Monday I was walking past a Zanu PF office at Machipisa (Harare) when two guys who were in there invited me and my friend inside and started harassing us calling us sellouts because I waved at my friend. I did not even know the offices existed since I’m new in the area.

Editor I was intimidated by two guys whom I don’t even know by name. They took me into a filthy urine smelling darkroom inside that the walls were bloodstained. He started assaulting me with sticks and threatening to kill me.

I decided to hit him back till he screamed for help and my friend came in to help me fight the two guys. Takatozopedzisira takuvarova tisu.”

Kuwadzana

“Zanu irikuda kutyisidzira vanhu ku Kuwadzana varikufamba door to door hanzi tirikunyora mazita evanhu, people lets not be bullied ini ndaramba nezita rangu.”

Ceril Jennings Hall in Highfield Harare

“I am currently at Ceril Jennings Hall in Highfield Harare. I voted in 2008 but I had to endure a good 1 hour in the queue to inspect the voters roll only to be told by the rude Registrar General staff that my name is not there and I had to go outside again and rejoin the meandering queue.

Its so disheartening and unfair, prompting us to believe claims that the RG’s department is deliberately striking people off the voters roll. Surely if someone voted in 2008 harmonised and runoff where the hell would the names have vanished to??

Manje we are not going to turn back, I am re joining the queue and even if it means being here until 8pm I will do so. Zanu PF must go surely.”

Bambazonke to Chiadzwa Mine

“Why don’t we have a tarred road from Bambazonke to Chiadzwa Mine? Shuwa nediamond ririkutorwa daily since 2005 motadza kuisa tara zvayo? Manicaland Simuka”

Chikurubi Prison

A Zanu PF supporter called Mai Zifodya is giving us a torrid time here at Chikurubi training depot old camp. Shame on her.

Bulawayo

“Been at Henry Low Primary School in Bulawayo to register. There are about 10 people ahead of me but the queue has not moved in the past 2 hours. The registration closes today at this place. I wonder If I will be able to register. Something is amiss…”

Kuwadzana

“Kuwadzana 2 District office Harare. Been in the line since 9am for voter Reg. Now its 13:45 none of us have moved even closer to the door, frustration now growing as a sizeable number of people are going back home.”

Mabvuku

“Tabva kuma8 pano paMabvuku-Tafara Mwanandishe Primary nanhasi..they are taking maID evakambovhota chete…”

Kuwadzana 2 District Office

“Kuwadzana 2 District Office. A visibly frustrated man expressed his dismay at the slowness of the R.G officers as he shouted ‘murikunonoka mhani ndakuenda kumakombe’. As he walked away the Police officer manning the door shouted ‘Batai Munhu’.

Within seconds 2 Police details had manhandled him and dragged him to the door (maybe to assault him) but the more than 300 people here present came to his rescue and started shouting approaching them, in fear of mob justice the 3 police officers let him go.”

Anywhere Chisaka died in Karoi

“One of the most respected youths in Karoi, Anywhere Chisaka died in Karoi yesterday…He was also a talented footballer, he was Karoi United former captain, team manager and a politician as well…May his soul rest internal peace…Zororai murugare JoJo…our beloved brother from Ward 4 in Karoi kumaFC…”

Joice Kazembe on SFM

I hear Joice Kazembe on SFM news 6pm today saying the registration and voters roll inspection is going ‘smoothly and swiftly ‘ yet thousands of people are being left stranded at various registration centres. What is this woman’s definition of ‘smoothly’

I saw the PM talking about ‘operation kubata jongwe muromo’ but nothing else other than urging the electorate to adopt tactics of suffering to register as a voter. Does it seem our leaders of all democratic forces are powerless to do anything about ZEC’s shenanigans or skulduggery?

People being affected the most are in their strongholds of support. We want to hear a condemnation of this sham exercise from our democratic leadership Mr PM Tsvangirai and Mr Welshman Ncube, Mr Simba Makoni an Mr Dumiso Dabengwa.”

Mugabe and his 31 July election date

“This is a reaction to the proclamation of July 31 by Mugabe as the date for elections and the resultant reaction by opposition parties.

As much as it is a noble idea to approach SADC to intervene for the sake of democracy, it is however important to realize that in the end it is the vote by the locals that will carry the day.

It is thus critical that opposition forces unite in making the right noises for the electoral playing field to be even so that as many people as possible are registered as this will make electoral theft an impossibility.

A case in point is the repeat of the man made chaos that characterized the first voter registration exercise, now repeating itself in this current exercise where the distribution of registration centres is skewed in favour of perceived Zanu PF strong holds.

For instance how can Harare with a population of 2 million people have 44 registration centres when Mashonaland West with 1.4 million people having 444 centres? Mashonaland east has 1.3 million people with 362 centres while Bulawayo with around a million people having 36 centres?

These are the supposedly small things the opposition chooses to ignore oblivious of the fact that this is the new rigging technique because violence and coercion will not apply this time around as Zanu PF is out to seek legitimacy at all costs.

If Zanu PF can arrange to have their supporters registered en masse why cant opposition parties do likewise? Let SADC and all organizations intervene at a stage when the opposition wins but are being denied the chance to rule by this regime not to let them steal an election under your watch then want to cry foul later because this will be a little too late!

This time the voters’ roll is going to deliver victory to Zanu PF, kwete violence and intimidation! So let us critically examine this process!”

Ramazani Wholesalers

I used to work at a certain shop named Ramazani Wholesalers in Leopold Takawira (kumatuck shop) its owned by a Tanzanian. Worker’s are overworked and are underpaid. Sometimes they start work at 8am and finish at 10pm but aren’t paid for the overtime.

They only get one off day per month. If anyone complains its an automatic dismissal. Please may the authorities do something about it.”

Mutare

“And these intimidations in Mutare, soldiers and police marching and singing liberation and Mugabe songs around the city every morning. People are in fear.”

Tafara where the ZEC mobile team is

I was trying to check my name in the voters roll at a certain school in Tafara where the ZEC mobile team is. Bhora Mugedhe yakapedza basa kare.

The voters roll is in shambles for the opposition party. Of the 20 who were in the room only 3 managed to confirm there names in the voters roll but they voted in 2008 chiona panotanga bhora rese.

After zita rako rashakwa you are told to join the queue again, to add to your agony they issue ma number they are ka one chete pazuva that means kuti the 17 out of 20 people rejoin the queue again imagine the frustration that you get.

In the meantime the bhora mugedhe team will be busy fishing its people from the queue registering them through the back door. In my case my name is in the voters roll but my address ndeye ku Magwegwe in Bulawayo imagine that means if i wont vote come polling day.

Apa ma aspiring candidates e MDC vacho vana Maridadi they are nowhere to be seen they are busy enjoying the warmth yemaheater isu tichigwagwadza nechando with no one to assist us.”

MDC is committing political suicide

“I can easily conclude that MDC is committing political suicide. How do they remain silent while rigging is taking place? It seems as if they do not have fellow citizens in their hearts. Can you just imagine a big density (suburb) like Waterfalls only has one registration centre. To my surprise mostly at an illegal nearby farm-density Mainway Meadows people are just registering madiro that if u are a resident in that mess location. Pliz do something.”

Rugare Gumbo wanted Madhuku number

“Was with (Gabriel) Chaibva and (Job) Sikhala. Chaibva received a call from Rugare Gumbo asking for Madhuku’s number”

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