Tuesday, June 11, 2013

ZANU-PF Strongholds Record Highest Number of New Voters

Zanu-PF strongholds record highest number of new voters

Sunday, 09 June 2013 00:00
Kuda Bwititi
Zimbabwe Sunday Mail

Zanu-PF strongholds have recorded the highest number of first-time voters who registered during the first leg of the ongoing voter registration exercise while the perceived “safe constituencies” of the MDC formations recorded low figures.

The development, which analysts say foreshadows the voting pattern likely to emerge during the impending polls, comes as MDC-T secretary-general Mr Tendai Biti conceded that Zanu-PF has made tremendous inroads in Harare.

According to figures made available by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) last week, Zanu-PF strongholds in Mashonaland East, Central and West recorded the highest number of first-time voters out of the 204 041 who registered to vote between April 29 and May 19.

The figures show 35 266 such voters registered in Mashonaland East; 31 570 in Mashonaland West and 29 635 in Mashonaland Central.

Bulawayo recorded 5 068, Matabeleland South had 9 403, Matabeleland North recorded 13 536 while the Midlands registered 23 404 first-time voters.

Manicaland also recorded 24 024; Masvingo 20 610 and Harare 11 525.

A total of 268 574 people also inspected the voters’ roll between April 29 and May 19.

In addition, the first leg of voter registration resulted in 214 233 people obtaining new identity cards while 71 131 others moved from one ward to another.

Political analyst and Midlands State University lecturer Dr Nhamo Mhiripiri said Zanu-PF has an edge over other parties owing to its superior voter mobilisation strategies.

“The trend is that people in rural areas tend to be more politically active than those in urban areas.

This is because the structures in rural areas are interpersonal as people tend to do things as a community.

“As such, they usually register to vote as a group.

“Zanu-PF may, therefore, have an edge because its strongholds are in rural areas.”

MDC-T secretary-general Mr Biti conceded just as much when he told party supporters at a rally in Harare’s Borrowdale suburb last Thursday that Zanu-PF looked certain to claim several seats in Harare, including his own Harare East constituency.

Mr Biti said his party is running scared as the revolutionary party continues to make inroads in constituencies such as Harare North, Mt Pleasant, Harare South and Epworth.

“Meanwhile in Harare, we know they (Zanu-PF) have targeted five constituencies and they have registered multitudes of their people in these areas,” he told a small crowd of MDC-T supporters that gathered at the Northside Community Hall.

He said Zanu-PF remained strong in rural areas where, according to a survey carried out by his Finance Ministry, 68 percent of Zimbabwe’s population resides.

He also said most prospective voters in rural areas were earning a living through farming and informal business, owing to the empowerment policies of Zanu-PF.

Mr Biti went contrary to the recent Constitutional Court ruling compelling Zimbabwe to hold elections by July 31 by insisting the polls can only be held after the first week of August.

However, Constitutional experts have said voter registration can run concurrently with other electoral processes.

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