In the Mufakose High School polling station, near Harare, up to 15 police officers are apparently present inside the polling station, some seated besides the Presiding Officer, taking the names of people who are voting. This is a clear effort to intimidate voters, and is in direct violation of the ZEC electoral laws. – Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum

Zimbabweans around the country are texting us with their feedback on Zimbabwe’s Election voting day. You can read a few below, and we’re compiling them on our Crowdmap, so take a look (and refresh the map often!)

• I have gone to Ward 29 Zvimba South. The process is very slow.
• In Budiriro 3, long long lines and slow process. MDC-T very faint on the ballot slips and is last.
• I’m done at Chinembiri Pri, Seke. In a 300 metre queue, 2hrs 18 minutes. Heavy turnout.
• Already voted in Chitungwiza Dzidzai Primary. All went well, queues moving nicely. In less than 30 minutes we were done.
• Voting is too slow and some of the names are not on the roll so we are voting with registration certificate. Chitepo Sec School, Zvimba East.
• In Goromonzi, Rusike at St Dominics Nora Primary. The polling process is in progress. No problems. About 300 ppl voted and the queue is declining.
• Am in Murehwa. Went to vote early morning. Many people came early. Queues were very long. SADC vehicles and JOMIC were moving around.
• In Bikita East voting going on peacefully, short queues.
• Gokwe Central. Voter turnout high. No incidents witnessed.
• My polling station (Avondale) full of police in uniform queueing to vote.

We just got this in from a subscriber – So if you think you’re not on the voters’ roll, maybe it’s worth just double checking – Maybe you are!

Re aliens and Zim Voting: My husband and I got the surprise of our lives this morning. As ‘aliens’, my husband and my names were not on the Online Voters Roll and we were not allowed to vote in 2008, when our names had been removed from the voters role. So my husband took a stroll to our Polling station (Eastridge School) this morning and decided check. Just in case. His name and mine were both on the list and he was allowed to VOTE! I’m about to go now and stand in the queue. So please post and encourage ‘aliens’ to take the chance and go and check. Please put word out! (Also 60′s and over can request to go to front of queue). Also be advised to use your own pens! Word has it that pens with refills that fade after 4 hours are inserted in regular ballpoints in MDC strongholds. I doubted this, but then read that this had indeed been a ploy of the Israelis’s that played out in Kenya.

Source: #ZimElections

Our hands full or not:
The same abundance.
Our eyes open or shut:
The same light.

- Yves Bonnefoy, in The Curved Planks: Poems

From a voter

For sure a budget election. Pictures not good. To be sure you need to be able to read, or have had an affair with the person. Example: I have warned my parents to take their time and take their glasses.