Godfrey Gandawa Fails to Vote

By Own Correspondent

Hurungwe – Former Deputy Minister of Tertiary Education, Godfrey Gandawa reportedly failed to vote yesterday and was said to be in hiding.

VoteWatch263 gathered that Gandawa had been in hiding since last Thursday after suspected state security agents are said to have raided his home in a bid to nab him. They tried to get him at his rural home 80 kilometres West of Karoi but only found some members of his family.

His chief election agent, Resai Tariko said Gandawa was in hiding and did not vote.

“Following the early morning raid on his home last week he has not felt safe and had to go into hiding. He failed to fulfil his democratic right to cast his vote but we are confident villagers will still vote overwhelmingly for him,” said Tariko.

Gandawa’s brother Tafadzwa who said he was victimized by alleged armed state security agents said the development was unfortunate and cast a blight on democracy.

“I was abducted by three armed men who were hunting down Godfrey. He has been in hiding ever since,” said Tafadzwa.

Gandawa would have cast his vote at Mudzimu polling station where Zimbabwe elections officer, Trust Chikurini described voting as peaceful.

The polling station had 546 registered voters where 230 females and 184 males voted. Of these 45 were assisted.

Magunje had 6613 females and 6869 males as registered voters bringing it to a total of 13 482.

Constituency elections officer Tichaona Manyepa said 128 women and 132 men were turned away by 4 pm on Monday for lack of valid identity papers or defaced identity cards.

He revealed that a total of 1066 illiterate voters in the constituency had been assisted. Of these 518 were men and 548 women.