Feedback coming in from Zimbabweans texting us about their experience of voting in the constitutional referendum:

The referendum is well organized and the ZEC staff is handling citizens in a professional manner. I’m in Ruwa.

I visited 5 polling stations here in Chinhoyi  and people were voting peacefully but the isue was they did not  get full update on the draft. Also young people need to be educated that they should go for vote turn out.

I voted early in the morning but after putting an x I was supposed to fold and showed it to the presiding officers  and I am not sure whether they have saw what I have voted for or not. I am saying so becoz papers are transparent. Thank you.

I won’t vote coz I never saw the so called constitution.

I’m in the Byo CBD. Moving around have seen short Q’s. Voter Apathy.

In Bikita East Ward 15 people are going to vote yes as per their parties instructions. Most say they want next election.

In Chiredzi a lot of people are not voting they said they don’t know what is in this referendum. Only a few people have acess to the media & read the leaflets wich were distributed. They don’t know what 2 vote 4. They don’t give people enough time & information.

In Nyanga the turn up is generally poor citing reasons that the populace lack knowledge on what they are voting for.

It is 12:05 my wife and I have just voted at Zhakata, Area 3, Dangamvura, Mutare, but I saw no other voters leaving nor coming to vote.

It seems Voter Educators did not do their jobs adequately, most of the people I have talked to did not even read the constitution. And most kids above 16 with ID are not aware that they are supposed to vote. Polling stations aren’t exactly overflowing here in Seke but people are steadily coming.

Kubatana is receiving feedback via Twitter, text messages and emails from Zimbabwean citizens:

The afternoon environment at Sadza council hall polling station (Command Centre) is calm&peaceful.The turnout is pleasing&has improved from that of the morning.I have managed to contact all the ERC ward coordinators to assess the atmosphere in their wards & all of them confirmed that there is peace in the polling centres & the turnout is high. Of concern is the presence of central intelligence operatives who are patrolling with cars with no number plates at Sadza Growth Point.Their cars are at times seen parked at the command centre.

I am in Braeside. I voted at Nettleton Junior School. I was in and out under five minutes. The atmosphere was so comforting and peaceful.

I went to vote at around 11am. Once more before going I ran through some pages of the draft constitution just to be sure. When I reached the polling station there were five people ahead of me, as I produced my ID and proceeded to get my paper to vote I felt really important. Everyone was excited. One old man had walked past the gate after voting when he realised that he was leaving his vehicle and quickly ran back to get into the vehicle. Such was the atmosphere where I voted.

I am eager to see whether the number of assisted voters in the referendum will be anything close to those who will be assisted in the election. I also live to see if the same peace will prevail when we cast our next vote. I also wish to find out if Headmen were on the fore, ticking names of those who voted in today’s ballot. Lastly, I wish to find out whether those who voted NO in this election will be sniffed out. Please help in establishing these facts.

Referendum report just in from the Election Resource Centre (ERC):

Slow Start to Referendum Vote
Voting is under way in Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Referendum.  The Referendum commenced on the evening of Friday, the 15th of March 2013 with the placement of ballot boxes and stationing of officials at polling stations.  Voting started today at 07:00 hours at most stations, with reports of a few stations opening a little later. The process has largely been characterised by low turnout in most provinces across the country, particularly in urban areas. While voting has widely been peaceful and orderly, there are however isolated reports of violence and arrests in certain parts of the country.*  Disorder in the form of shortage of ballot papers has also been experienced in Ntabazinduna, Matabeleland. The voting process is scheduled to run until 19:00 hours, at 9 449 polling stations.

Major highlights
- Peaceful voting process in most areas
- General low voter turnout especially in urban areas
- High number of voters being turned away – reasons include presentation of invalid proof of identity, including drivers’ licences, ID numbers on pieces of paper and expired passports

* Seven youths clad ZANU-PF party regalia went to Darlyn 1 Primary School Polling Station in Chakari at 1145hrs with the intention to cast their vote. They were turned away by polling officials for wearing party regalia. On their way from the polling station they met John Musa a known MDC-T supporter and assaulted him. Reports indicate that the seven were arrested.

Kubatana subscribers send in Zimbabwe Referendum feedback via SMS:

At Chinembiri Primary Chitungwiza. No queue, its a walk in and vote sphere. Manned by smiling ZRP members.

At Greystone Park officials outnumber the potential voters.Here everything is good but the problem is that we did not get anyone to teach us about the Constitution and we did not get any book to read. People are voting due to their party leaders who have said its good.

Home and not going any where.

I am at Maware Primary in Chikomba East very few people have cast their votes voter apathy seem to be the order of the day.

I am at Nyamazira, 70 km from Headlands. It is Manicaland province. A few people has come to vote because the COPAC outreach team did not come to our area and no one ever saw the finalised referendum we are supposed to vote for. Its guess work.

Heal Zimbabwe have just published this report on the state of referendum play across Zimbabwe:

Beitbridge East
Voting at Malape and Chitulipasi centers has not yet started as the car ferrying ZEC officials was involved in an accident and voters have been milling around the polling stations since 7am.

Beitbridge
The voting process at all other voting centers started at 7am, no local and SADC observers were present yet. In ward 15 Shabwe village, the villagers were given forms by headmen aligned to ZANU PF to give out to people so they fill in stating whether they voted YES or NO.

Headlands
An MDC District Secretary  for Headlands who resides in Ward 13, Samson Magura was abducted this morning by suspected ZANU PF activists. His whereabouts are still unknown.

Chimanimani
Voting started at 7am and people are voting peacefully at Magistrate Court polling station in Ward 7. The majority of voters are youths and there are 10 police officers at the station . There is only 1 local  observer and the SADC observers are not yet there.

Buhera South
Ward 33, the voting process started at 7am and people are voting peacefully. The unaccredited observers from political parties have been asked to keep a distance of 300m where they are mobilizing people to go and vote YES. The accredited observers are not yet at the polling stations.

Mutare
Polling stations in the Central Business District have no queues, voters are walking in to cast their votes freely. Voting started at 7am and there are no incidences of political violence so far.

Chivi
The voting process at Mutoti polling station started at 7am and unaccredited political party representatives who wanted to observe the process were turned away.

According to an article in The Telegraph, “speaking to journalists in Johannesburg last week, Tendai Biti, the MDC Finance Minister, said it was a “miracle” that the Constitution had come so far.”

The Telegraph goes on to say that the new constitution, allows for the removal of the President if they are found “guilty of serious misconduct, violate the constitution or are physically or mentally incapacitated.”

Can you imagine Mugabe being chucked out of office for violating the Constitution.

This will also be a miracle.

The Yes vote is based on delusion and desperation.