Zim Update

Previously mentioned Sokwanele is collecting and compiling first hand on the ground reports from voters and polling stations - its a mixture of excited turnout, turned away voters, and some incidents of outright violence.  Here's what he says about his mother's trip to the polls this morning:

My 85 year old mother left her apartment block at 6.30 this morning to walk to the nearest polling station where they have been voting for years. She set off on foot with 3 friends, a foreign woman living here for 50 years, an Ndeble woman who retired from working in the media some years ago, and the last is an ex-zanu pf freedom fighter and retired party employee.

The motley crew arrived at the station and were turned away. They were told to head to another station, but being elderly the distance seemed too great.

A good Samaritan took pity on them and loaded them all into his aged vehicle, using his precious fuel to ferry them to the next station in the ward. Again, they were all turned away.

Finally at the third station they were allowed to vote.

Right now, they are drinking a celebratory cup of tea but sadly, no milk; they couldn’t get any yesterday.