Herald Reporter
27 March, 2008

THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has established over 250 composite polling stations in some urban and rural constituencies to cater for the anticipated high voter turnout on Saturday.

There are about 258 composite polling centres, which have up to six polling stations at a single point.

Speaking in Harare, ZEC chairman Justice George Chiweshe said the establishment of composite polling stations was done to cater for areas with a large number of voters.

"There are areas, especially in urban areas and some rural constituencies, were a single polling station would not be able to serve the number of people trying to vote.

"We would have at least five to six polling centres at a single polling station," he said.

Masvingo Province, with 79 composite polling stations, has the highest while Bulawayo Metropolitan Province has 56 composite polling stations.

Manicaland has 40 polling stations, Mashonaland East 26, Midlands Province 24 while Matabeleland South and North have 18 and 11 composite stations respectively.

The composite polling centres are in Bulawayo, Masvingo, Chiredzi, Zaka, Gokwe, Wedza, Marondera, Murehwa, Goromonzi, Ruwa and Lupane.

Justice Chiweshe said although ZEC had identified 8 998 polling stations for the election, the commission was still establishing more polling points.

"The list of polling stations could be increased as more stations are still being identified in the provinces because ZEC wants to make sure that voting is completed during the set period," he said.

Polling for the harmonised elections would start at 7am and finish at 7pm, but Justice Chiweshe said polling officers would be allowed to clear the people in the queues before closing the stations.

"Voters would be allowed to cast their votes especially when there are still some people in the queue after 7pm. The polling stations would be allowed to clear queues when polling closes," Justice Chiweshe said.

He reiterated that the counting of votes would be done at polling stations for the presidential, Senate, House of Assembly and council elections but results for the presidential poll would be announced at the National Command Centre.

"Counting would be at the polling stations and the results would be signed for by polling officers, election agents and observers at that polling station.

"Each polling station would tabulate results before they are transmitted to the various command centres where the results would be added up," he said.

ZEC has been commended for making thorough preparations for the historic election where Zimbabweans will choose the President, members of the Senate and House of Assembly and councillors on a single day.