It’s polling day in Zimbabwe’s harmonised election, and Kubatana has been receiving more updates from our subscribers. Get more election information at our special index page on the 31 July election.  You can also check out our crowdmap of citizen reports and read more vox pops here, here and here.

• I am waiting for a big day from Chimanimani
• Pane kusawirirana pawepo kuNyanga  zanu pf  nenyaya yemagwere (There is some misunderstanding in Magwere Zanu-PF, Nyanga)
• Hi, I live in Mbare. I have just received the water, sewer and refuse bill! So Chombo’s promise to cancel these is just hogwash.
• Zec nezanu vaneuttsinye those  registerd to vote were deployed where they cant vote vanogara kwavaigona kuvota vakanyimwa mabasa.manje takatopanduka chose. (ZEC and Zanu are evil. Those who are registederd to vote were deployed where they cannot vote.)
• ZEC has betrayed most polling officers by deploying us outside our wards yesterday, how then are we going to vote. Beitbridge
• I am a mdc-t  staunch supporter. I was greatly disturbed yesterday midnight by messages i received from zanu pf on my  netone line. I was persuaded to vote mr r g mugabe. My question is how did zanu pf got my cell numbers. I know the culprit is netone. May zimbabweans remind netone that it is illegal. I also witnessed it during referendum.
• Bulk sms sending was banned till after the elections bt i received a political msg on my phone. Shouldn’t i sue the network provider? I hear a lot of pple received the same msg too! Seems we have sacred cows!
• Today Zimbabweans are making a mark for their destiny. I have done my part in Kwekwe Central.
• Voted at Kuwadzana 6 Primary, Harare all is well, queues moving fast, many people voting.
• Harare: Courtney Selous 104 places down the queue. Approx 300 ish. Single file mostly. Quiet. Chisi School Friend is 10th in queue.
• KUMAKONI SOUTH mamwe mastations ene very few presidential ballot papers
• No netone to netone One hr talk untill hameno…. No Telcel to Econet call untill hameno. Econet internet is so and so . Whatsup inteferences untill hameno. Who is to be blamed .  No electonic voters roll until hameno.  No education untill hameno. Today zesa was up and down and who is to be blamed kwanzi nerimwe bato masanctions. Hahahahaha

As we approach the home run in the final stretch of the 2013 harmonized elections the talk of a grand coalition among political parties will just lead us to another blame game in the face of defeat. Looking back at how the two MDC parties have worked together in the inclusive government will tell you the that the relation wasn’t rosy at all so efforts to forge an alliance at this ninth hour are just futile. The only time these two parties teamed up was during the election of Speaker of Parliament and after the relationship went sour especially when then Ncube faction was embroiled in its own succession battle with the then leader Arthur Mutambara. Legislators from MDC-N were expelled from the party faction when they crossed floor to join Mr Tsvangirai’s faction. We later heard reports of the leaders of the unity government teaming up together and having closed door meetings singling out Welshman. In Maputo a grandstanding was staged at an SADC meeting when Tsvangirai and Ncube tried to humiliate President Robert Mugabe.

Just when people thought that the relationship had normalized the two leaders started their election campaigns by trading insults at each other, with Tsvangirai boasting of a huge support calling Ncube a village politician bent on peddling tribal politics. This tirade has turned out to be like a “dissing” contest at a rap concert. The lack of tangible policies in this year’s campaign is a clear sign of how politicians are trying to fill gaps in election manifestos with insults. If we are going to elect a leader should we base that on how eloquently the candidate disrespects opponents like a recent campaign advert I heard on radio about Tsvangirai’s sex life which is being peddled by ZANU-PF.

Today’s Herald announces “Govt secures poll funding.” Given that elections are in less than a week, that’s lucky I suppose. The article says “domestic resources mobilised,” and mentions “US $ 85 million released.” Phew. I knew all that diamond money would come in handy someday.

Meanwhile, the late access to election funding is just one more way in which this election is a mess before we’ve even voted. And yet shockingly, the African Union looks and says “Nothing gives us any cause for concern.”

There are 5 days till Zimbabwe’s Harmonised Election on 31 July 2013. And Nothing gives any cause for concern? Not:

• The fact that the election date itself was set in an illegal manner
• The illegal way in which the electoral laws for this election were promulgated
• The atrocious state of Zimbabwe’s voters’ roll and the disenfranchisement of Zimbabweans that will result
• The mess that was made of the special voting for the police
• Continued media bias by Zimbabwe’s state television broadcaster
• The fact that political parties still don’t have access to the final voters’ roll as promised
• The fact that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission still hasn’t issued the final list of polling stations
• The fact that POTRAZ has ordered mobile phone carriers like Econet to not carry international bulk text messages for political reasons

With a list like this what is most of concern is that the African Union doesn’t see anything of concern. Is this the low standard we have for Zimbabwean elections, and African elections more generally. As long as the violence stays minimal and the intimidation low-grade, it will do.  Never mind how many laws you break or rights you trample on along the way, our African colleagues will just turn a blind eye so it can be deemed “credible enough.”

Kubatana recently asked citizens what question they would ask their councillors, MPs and presidential candidates. It is sad to note that the same tendency still exists in both political parties where councillors or MPs only resurface during election time. Thus many citizens want to ask them where their political representative has been hiding. And of course the Constituency Development Fund is the next question in line: What did you do with our money?

It is important that the electorate make the right decisions when choosing their leaders in their ward, constituency and country. But due to the fact the playing ground for all political parties and independent candidates is not level, we find that some candidates fail to reach out to the people. And the voters end up making uninformed decisions when choosing the candidate to vote for.

The Media Alliance of Zimbabwe and Combined Harare Residents Association are engaging in activities under the Right to Information campaign. They have come up with a newsletter, which will ensure access to information regarding the upcoming election. One broad area the newsletter will cover is the parties, candidates and their proposals. The first issue of the Election Special publication featured the five presidential candidates. Before one votes it is important they have full knowledge of what and whom they are voting for.

With just 12 days to go before Zimbabwe’s 2013 Harmonised Elections, Kubatana’s SMS subscribers have been sharing their concerns, observations, citizen reports and on-the-ground anecdotes with us. They share their thoughts on special voting, the electoral environment, intimidation and more. Here are some more of their reports and feedback:

• Tasangana nechallenge kuno.1 of our member atorerwa t-shirt nemunhu we Zanu anonzi Alice Chiwara, Arex office. plz lets teach her a lesson, tibetserei Zv east w20 (We have faced a challenge he in Zvimba East Ward 20, where one of our members had his t-shirt taken by a Zanu member Alice Chiwara, Arex office. Please let us teach her a lesson)
• ZEC can be ready any time, the problem is probably that it is partisan
• Special voting is a step towards rigging
• Did MDC tighten everything? Are these thieves not going to steal again? Have u people noticed that 50% of MDC supporters don’t want to be known just of victimisation, 30% go to MDC rallies then 25% go to Zanu-PF. only 5% is actual Zanu, so they wont win they just rig to tell the truth. If MDC don’t wake up they wont win
• Ndirikuona mai veZanu mai Sengerai vachifamba vachikorokodza madzimai eChishamiso Hippo Valley Chiredzi vachiti hendei tinozorabwa kurally (In Hippo Valley, Chiredzi I am witnessing a Zanu member Mrs Sengerai encouraging all women to go and attend a rally or they will be beaten)
• We need observers at polling station. Make sure those who vote today don’t vote on 31 July. Check that it’s a tradition.
• More police officer and teacher returned without casting vote in Chinhoyi Cocksey Hall on close of special votes at around 1900hrs. Complained of time wasted while queuing to cast their vote, names were being called in batch of ten with a delaying tactic. They questioned what is going to happened with their vote when deployed to other constituency
• Zec must put its house n order. I think zec is a zanu pf electoral branch cant do fair things.
• Massive vote rigging as hundreds civil servants were turned away before casting votes at Rusape DA’s Boardroom.
• Mt Darwin North Total Special voters Only 90 cast their votes.
• Tiriku mwenezana estater hatizivi vekuvhotera kubva kuna counsellor, mp tongoziva pres Tsvangirai chete takaputirwa kuno (We are in Mwenezana Estate – We do not know the candidates from councillor to MP. All we know is the presidential candidate Tsvangirai)
• Kuno kwaSadza Chikomba East all police wives voted yesterday but are not officers and will vote again 31 July
• Lets not create Tsvangirai another Mugabe monster
• Met a certain Councillor (Zanu-pf) in a lift who said things r tuff their r dwelling on T.B Joshua’s prophecy to redeem them
• People are being threatened by Zanu-PF youth being led by Matangira (Bindura North candidate) and some neighbourhood members chanting their slogan day and night.
• Taona moto kunoku Mudzi Nyamatawa school nemisanga yemusango yeZanu (We are being troubled here in Mbudzi, Nyamatawa school by Zanu PF rallies)
• Special vote was chaotic only soldiers and policeman were allowed to vote as their names were found on the voters role but the civil servant who represent as the polling agent their names were not found on the voters role so they did not vote
• All teachers in ward 15 in Chipinge district are forced to wear Zanu pf party regalia.
• Thanks for sending updates, with much gratitude we would like to here more about election as an MDC-t activist I am over optimistic. Wedza
• Its a chance for  Mberengwa North to choice Takavafira Zhou as a good candidate for development
• No posters for presidential candidate in Mhondoro Ngezi constituency.
• Are we ready for elections or we are forcing situations?
• Sadc and African union must help us to hold credible elections Zanu pf is trying all tricks to rig these elections viv tsvangson wakapinda
• I very am happy with manifesto I saw today and it leads us to proper life just at the corner
• Al special votes should be condemned. Police officers should be allowed cast their vote at polling station they are manning.
• Aspiring zanu pf  mp in Buhera central put posters at Chirozva clinic ward 23 last week. MDC-T did the same this week. Zanu-pf supporters threatening powerless nurses.
• Our MP Chiminya buy his car with our 50000 ward 21Masvingo and paint some schools outside only
• Why M.P Chombo has closed Kamwaza Beerhall coz its rented by an independent cand who has teamed up with his ex-wife, why he allows Zanu heavyweights Chapanduka, Mahachi, Mutenga, Mai Joe and Dzunga to harass people in Kamwaza
• Why are ballot boxes being opened tomorrow?Why are those who failed to vote no longer able to do so when it was Zec’s failure to provide stationery and speedy service. I feel Zec is biased and elections shld be stopped since rigging has started. They will delay even the results.
• Everyone is confident of winning in the polls. Interestingly, all candidates are emphasising on  peaceful, free & fair elections & urging supporters to refrain from inhuman & violent acts in the run up to harmonised elections.
• The just ended mobile voter registration exercise was a disgrace laden with irregularities & left many people unregistered. Its publicity was poor& other wards were left out which caused failure of voters to register. Former aliens were being misinformed& requested to pay more. Unnecessary delays& unbecoming conduct by the registering teams were the order of the day& there is exigent need to extend the exercise in order to accommodate all eligible voters.
• Against a background where a lot of town dwellers were denied the chance to register due to orchestrated delays by officials from the registry.
• Kana zvichinetsa zve voters roll ko 1980 takavoter isipo wani ngati vote pasina voters nechitupa chokuratidza kuti uri muZimbabwean chete (If the voters roll is in shamble, why don’t we just vote the way we did in 1980 with mere proof of Zimbabwean identity)
• No need to run an election with things in shambles.
• Ko vana vatanga kuita toitoi vachigara mumabase zviripamutemo here? (Is it legal for people to stay in bases and start singing revolutionary songs?) They are doing day & night patrols together with girls & boys. Hakusi kushungurudza vana here? (Is this not child abuse) Is this free & fare election? People are forced to vote for Zanu pf. Where is Mr peace, justice, love & harmony. Vasikana vachapiwa mimba, AIDS & POVERTY!! (You girls are going to be impregnated, infected with AIDS and Poverty)
• How can the voters roll be corrected so that we free and fair elections? It’s something very worrisome. Where are we heading to?
• In Mberengwa, there were two centres for special voting. That is Mataga growth point and Mberengwa District offices. Only less than 100 teachers and ploice officers managed to vote out of 360 applicants. Again, it is not clear how teachers were chosen  to be  special voters. Lists of teachers were just sent to schools without explanation how they were  chosen. The sad part of it is that teachers wasted a lot of money  travelling to Zec offices to fill forms, photo their id cards and pay for food  during the process. On the voting day, they again used their money to travel to  voting centres only to find that there were no ballot boxes. They used their money to buy food and travel back to their schools. The sad part of it is that history may repeat itself on the 31st of july. Again, it was not clear how those who managed to vote were given the first preference. It was not first come first serve.
• Till when shall we put up with lies & retrogressive ideas that leave our country in a political & economic quagmire? Propaganda & down playing each other takes us nowhere in regards to real & sound development.
• Supporters of Marian Chombo who rents council buildings, rental contracts are being  terminated by Zvimba council because of supporting Marian in Raffingora.
• I think the voting prossece whichi is hapening here is a clear indication that this is the way of rigging since in rural areas is faster than Urban where ZANU PF rules the roost this should be solved before 31 of this month thats shows a total rigging
• In Marondera West all civil servants are being forced to attend a Zanu PF rally at Mahusekwa Growth Point at 11am 19/07/13
• In Mberengwa,political violence can start any time particularly in Mberengwa South constituency under Chief Mketi.  Zimbabweans, just imagine what happened yesterday. Chief Mketi whose really name is Gwativenga Mathethu Ngwenya together with an ex -soldier by the name Harris Dube visited Tino Hove, an Mdc-t supporter and threatened him with unspecied action because he failed to take a zanu pf t-shirt a  day before when they were distributed by zanu pf supporters at a rally. Please warn this partian chief.
• Mushamva  canceler  we  MDC  awonanhamo  ne  vanhu ve zanu   pf  anojungwa jungwa  ne  chigunwe   ngavarege  nhanya  munzira  va chiyimba  zvinokonzera  noiz (In Shamva MDC Councillor is being victimised by Zanu-PF. They poke him with their fingers in his face. They move around singing making noise)
• Shamva  hayibvumire  t  shert ye  MDC (You are not allowed to put on an MDC t-shirt in Shamva)
• Nhamo yedu kuno kuBuhera yanyanya. 2013 nanhasi from Buhera to Mutare mabhazi anosumuka before 12 midnight osvika kuma3 maMutare. Kuitawohere hakunawo mutemo unocontroler maoperator awa here? (We are suffering here in Buhera and its too much. We are in 2013 and the buses from Buhera to Mutare leave before midnight and they arrive in Mutare at 3am. Aren’t there any laws that can control these transport operators)
• Sadc and au should help us zanu pf wants to rig this looming election but we should resist by all means necessary
• If zec fails to provide enough voting material for the cops, what about for the whole country?
• Mashonaland centril Bindura Chipadze t/ship  vanhuvarikutorerwa tu slip twekuvotesa neve zanu pf (Mashonaland Central, Bindura, Chipadze t/shp – Zanu pf is taking voting slips for the people)
• 192 out of 196 special  voters  votes. Returned away 99 Reg BUT no envelopes at Nyamhunga polling Kariba

The latest installment of the not-so-funny comedy of errors plaguing Zimbabwe’s 31 July harmonised election. How’s this for outrageous? Read the press statement from RAU about the launch of their voters’ roll audit report being banned.

The Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU) intended to launch a detailed analysis of the Voters’ Roll this morning. This detailed audit comes in the wake of a preliminary report that RAU released on the 5th of July 2013.

RAU has had to cancel the launch of this report however because the Registrar General at 8.17a.m  left  an interdict at our offices from the High Court  to stop the event from going ahead at the Crowne Plaza the chosen venue, who were cited as the second Respondents and were served at 8.30am.

The Registrar General’s interdict is based on a misconception that we wanted to launch the voters roll, relying on an erroneous article by NEWSDAY published on the 16th of July 2013 which stated that RAU intended to launch a full voters’ roll. Instead of proceeding by way of an application interdicting us from launching our report, it would have taken a simple phone call from the Registrar General’s office to confirm that what we intended to launch was a report based on the Roll and not the Roll itself.

RAU wishes to clarify that it never intended to a launch a voters’ roll. RAU was going to launch an analysis done on the voters roll. In addition to the above, the Chairperson of ZEC and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission are aware that RAU has been working on such an audit and ZEC had received and acknowledged receipt of the preliminary report.

RAU is deeply concerned with the fact that the order for an interdict was granted and the application was admitted and decided yet the Certificate of Urgency, which makes part of the Application was not signed as is required by law.

RAU also finds unprocedural and an abuse of the justice system and court process the fact that we were not served with the application when it was filed with the High Court and that we only received it at the same time as the Order for an Interdict was delivered to RAU.