ELECTION observers yesterday red-flagged the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) for failing to deliver ballot papers on time.
Voting at some polling stations started at sunset due to delays in the delivery of ballot papers.
However, election observers said this was strange.
“We are concerned about that,” Southern Africa Development Community head of observer mission, Nevers Muumba, told reporters after visiting some polling stations.
“The ballot papers should have been here way ahead of time. That is the constitutional provision of Zimbabwe.
“We were assured that material is going to be available in all the polling stations way ahead of this morning.
“This is very strange for us to find out that in some polling stations, voting material came in late. That is one aspect we are going to interrogate during this process.”
European Union chief observer Fabio Castaldo said the mission noted “significant delays in opening procedures due to lack of essential materials”.
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Zec acknowledged the delays, but blamed the many court cases it was involved in ahead of yesterday’s polls for the hiccups.
By sunset yesterday, some polling stations in Harare Metropolitan province had not yet opened as there were no ballot papers for the local authority.
In a statement, Zec said by mid-morning, only 23% polling stations, which is 18 out of 77, had opened.
“This has been the case in Harare and Bulawayo provinces,” Zec said.
“The public is advised that all polling stations that opened late for reasons beyond the control of the presiding officer will remain open to cater for the period of the delay, keeping in mind that the polling stations must remain open for a continuous period of at least 12 hours on polling day.”
Citizens Coalitions for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa said the delays were meant to frustrate his supporters.
Zanu PF activists, however, said it was not a given that those who failed to vote in time were CCC members.
