Izigaba zeMatabeleland North leSouth zilakho ukungatholi abammeli abanengi edale lephalamende kulandela inani eliphansi lalabo ababhalisela ukuvota.
Lokhu kuza ngemva kokuba ikhomishini ebona ngezokhetho eyeZimbabwe Electoral Commission imise uhlelo lwayo lokulanda uzulu duzane lemakhaya ukuze abhalisele ukuvota, olweMobile Voter Registration, kodwa isithi abantu bengaqhubeka besiyabhalisa emawofisini ayo.
Abe ZEC bathi uma abantu bengaqhubekela phambili bengayi bhalisela ukuvota, indawo ezithile zeMaNdebeleni zilakho ukuginywa ngemva kohlelo lokudala izigaba ezintsha, olwe Delimitation njengoba isilungiselela ukusungula uhlelo lokubala abantu, olweCensus ngenyanga ezayo ngemva kwalokho basebebumba izigaba ezintsha zokuvota, amaConstituences.
UMqondisi weZEC koBulawayo, uMnu Innocent Ncube ukhuthaza uzulu ukuthi aye emawofisi abo elizweni jikelele, ukuyabhalisela ukuvota.
“Ukubhalisela ukuvota silanda uzulu duze lemakhaya simile okwamanje kodwa ukubhalisela ukuvota emawofisini ethu eZEC asimanga ezweni jikelele kuziqinti zethu zonke ezingamatshumi ayisithupha lantathu. Abantu bayakhuthazwa ukuzobhalisela ukuvota kusukela ngo8 ekuseni kusiyafika ku4 ngemva kwemini NgoMvulo kusiya NgoLwesihlanu. Asimamga ukubhalisela ukuvota ngoba umthetho uyasivumela.”
UNkosikazi Janet Moyo ngomunye wabancintisa emele ZANU-PF kuWard 21 kukhetho lwamaBy-elections oluqhutshwa mhlaka 26 Mbimbitho.
“Ngikhuthaza abantu ukuba bayebhalisela ukuvota ukuze benelise ukuvota mhlaka 26 March lakumnyaka ozayo njalo siyacela ukuba abantu bengadabuli amaposters abanye kodwa baqine ngokuyabhalisela ukuvota ukuze kubelentuthuko.”
UMnu Kucaca Phulu omele iCCC uncintisa isikhundla sokumela iNkulumane, koBulawayo edale lephalamende. Laye ukhuthaza uzulu ukubhalisela ukuthola ilungelo lokuvota.
“Akulula ukuyacela ivoti ebantwini ngesikhathi esincane esilaso njalo esizakuba sinacne futhi sibamele edale kodwa ngiyacela ukuba abantu bayebhalisela ukuvota ukuze kubella kumnyaka ozayo.”
UMnu David Ndlovu oncintisana loPhulu emele iZanu-PF eNkulumane yena ukhuthaza abatsha ikakhulu ukuthi babhalisele ukukuvota.
“Ngikhathazekile kakhulu ngenani eliphansi labatsha abangayi bhalisela ukuvota bona kuyibo esibakhangeleleyo ukuba bayabe bengabakhokheli bakusasa. Ngiyacela ukuba abantu bayebhalisela ukuvota ikakhulu abatsha ngoba bengayeka ukwenza lokho ezinye izigaba zilakho ukuginywa.”
Umsekeli wesikhulumi seCCC, uMnu Ostallos Siziba uchasisa ngokwenzakala ebandleni lakhe kuhlelo lokubhalisela ukuvota.
“Okwamanje sikhuthaza uzulu ukuba ayebhalisela ukuvota njengebandla silabantu abayizigidi ezine ababhalisele ukuvota siphakathi kokukhankasela izigidi ezimbili kusiyafika ukhetho oluzyo.”
Amabandla ezombusazwe aphakathi komkhankaso wokukhuthaza abantu ukuthi bayebhalisela ukuvota, lobanje bebhekane lenkinga ezithile. Ibandla elibusayo leZANU-PF lona lithi kusiyafika umnyaka ka2023 bakhangelele ukuba labantu abayizigidi ezinhlanu babe sebhalisele ukuvota.
I-ZEC ithi koBulawayo kuphela inyanga edlule bekulabantu abadlula zigidi ezine- 4 219 ababhalisele ukuvota okulinani eliphansi kakhulu. Kuthi eMatabeleland South izigaba ezine kwezilitshumi lantathu yizo ezenelise ukubhalisa inani elizakwenza zingaginywa kumbe zibanjaniswe lezinye iziqinti.
“Noma kuma elections, kumle ukuthi ma sikhetha abakhokheleli bethu, kumele kukhangelwe ukuthi i 50/50 leyo, iyaqakathekiswa yini. Hayikhona ukumphonguphelela nje ekukhulumeni, konke kumakhanseli, kungaze kube kusePhalamende, kuma Local Government noma kuma office yiwaphi lawaphi, sekuvunyelenwe ukuthi khona kunanzelelwe khona lokhu. ”
Emazwini akhe afundwe ngunkosikazi Jennifer Mhlanga, umsekeli wendaba zabesifazane lentuthuko yamabhizimusi amancane laphakathi laphakathi, emele unkosikazi Sithembiso Nyoni, utshele uzulu ukuba uhulumende uyakunanzelela ukuba abesifazane lamantombazane ikakhulu emaphandleni, kuyibo ababhekane lobunzima ngokuguquka komkhathi njengoba kuyibo abathembele kakhulu kokutholakala kumvelo.
Osaphethe isikhundla sokuba ngummeli wenhlanganiso ye United Nations Population Fund - UNFPA, uDr Esther Muia uthi isimo esikhona kwezokuguquka komkhathi sibaphatha kubi kakhulu abesifazane lamantombazana ukwedlula abesilisa kungakho kumele kudingwe indlela yokubasiza kulokho.
Uhulumende uthi uMbimbitho yinyanga ayibeke eceleni ukuba kuqhutshwe inhlelo ezitshiyeneyo ukunanza imisebenzi yabesifazane lamantombazane kungakho ethethe lelithuba ukuphawula ngokusemthethweni lolusuku oluqakathekisa abesifazane.
Owalamuhla umkhosi ungenwe ngabasekeli babaphathintambo bengatsha ezitshiyeneyo, iziphathamandla engatsheni lezi, abenhlanganiso ezisebenzisana lozulu okugoqela ezokholo kanye laye uzulu yena obelibaziswa ngabeqembu lamapholisa lezomculo i-Police Band.
