From Bulawayo Agenda:

Most people interviewed were not aware of what they are voting for especially those in the rural areas. They never had access to the draft constitution and were told by opinion leaders in the community to vote “YES” without full understanding of the document. One man from Mangwe District said they were told to vote “YES” at a meeting organised traditional leaders. Some people even thought that this was a registration process ahead of elections to be held later this year.

Having noted the above observations and while greatly appreciating the patience of Zimbabweans during the entire constitution making process, Bulawayo Agenda is deeply concerned with the manner in which the awareness campaign and referendum were organised and conducted. We believe that citizens must be given a fair opportunity to exercise their rights through proper organisation and availing of information on time.

As the country awaits the counting and announcement of the 2013 referendum results, Bulawayo Agenda hopes the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and other stakeholders drew lessons from today’s polls and that Zimbabweans will not experience the same problems in the general elections slated for later this year.

Presidential Motorcade

Masi, Jamu and I
wave our hands to the President.
The windows of his limo
are tinted
and are always closed.
The motorcade travels fast
but Masi and Jamu say
the President waves back.

We wave our hands
every time the motorcade passes
in the hope it will stop
to drop a coin.

But we hear
the chauffeur does not know
the ‘Give-way’ sign
nor the ‘Stop’ sign.

© 1996, Julius Chingono

Credit: Mark Attwood

Citizen feedback coming in via text messages:

Very,very low turn out. Asked some women and they said they don’t know what they are voting for.

CHEGUTU-PEOPLE-VOTING-PEACEFULLY, BUT-DON’T-KNOW-WHAT-THEY-ARE-VOTING-FOR.

Turn out was bad in Mutare.

We went for the referendum; our children & us still have hunger and suffering just like in the book Animal Farm. Clearing a path 4 someone to enjoy while we suffer: no jobs.

The majority of the masses in Byo high dens.sub say are not voting because they haven’t seen the new Constitution and its contents.

Mvuma Constituency has been hit by very serious voter apathy. As of 1630, 3 polling stations had no voters at sight. This is caused by lack of voter education.

Am observing in MUDZI ward 5. No reports of violence.

Here in Bikita South the voter turn out was low because voters don’t know what they are voting 4.

In Zvimba West some politically driven Kraal Heads have been subjecting citizens to line-up behind them at the polls.

History repeats itself. Lobengula voted for what he did not understand. Most Zimbabweans voted for what they do not understand.

There is voter apathy.

Where I have voted, there was very few people.

Am in Hotsprings we never saw a copy of draft constitution, but we are voting.

Chipinge central, ward 2, people are voting peaceful, sharing jokes even with well known thugs who used to harass people.

Low turn out. People cite inaccessibility of draft. So don’t know what to vote for. Feel being taken 4 a ride. Enthusiasm missing. Buhera West ward 3.

There is rampant voter apathy here in Chegutu.

People at Golden Valley & Patchway have come out in large numbers to vote & most of them voted yes, the reason was because both parties said we should vote yes.

Am in Highfield, few people cast their votes but majority are not interested, they seem not to put value into it. More education on voting is required.

Zimbabweans all over the country continue to share their experience of voting in today’s constitutional referendum:

Never saw & taught of the constitutional contents why bothering 2 vote? Voter turnout very poor, Chivi area.

I am at Strathaven shops. Everything okay, people coming: all citizens black, yellow, brown, whites voting.

People don’t know what they are voting for but still they are going to vote becoz they were told to vote yes. It’s calm and peaceful at this side.

The voting of a new constitution in my constituency has been very overwhelming and also noted that some 16-17yr olds who wanted to vote were denied bcoz of age restrictions which really shows that today’s youth want to shape their future by actively exercising their right.

I am in Hatfield, Harare. I voted yes at Hatfield Junior School in the morning together with my wife. I have seen the levels of interest among voters. Of all people, young ladies and man, who have previously shunned local polls, were coming in numbers of unusual dimension. I also liked the long queues in Mbare when I later visited there. Great polling staff too.

Voting for the new constitution is going on very well here in Gokwe though the turnout is very low. People generally don’t know what are they voting for. The only people who are voting are the informed and the literate. No violence recorded so far.

It is not possible for the nation to vote ‘yes’ becoz at least half of the nation did not get the copy of the draft constitution therefore it is wise for the nation to vote ‘no’.

Voting @ Tokwe Primary School, Ward 11, Chivi South started on schedule @7am & by lunchtime some 300 had voted. Peace prevails with no political party activities visible on the ground.

Some people do not vote, is it ignorance or they do not know their rights?

Central Harare is unusually quiet. Most people seem to have taken this moment seriously & it’s a historic moment.

We’ve cast our votes for better change: we want better life not poverty.

What’s shocking in Masvingo West is that people a voting for something they do not know, they were simply told to vote “yes” by their respective parties and they doing just that without any knowledge of what their yes means. Voter turnout high.

People are voting in large numbers at Arcturus but 95% have never come across the Constitution including me.

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.