STORY: Polls open in Zimbabwe's general elections
DATELINE: Aug. 24, 2023
LENGTH: 0:04:06
LOCATION: Harare
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of people waiting to cast their votes at polling stations
2. STANDUP (English): TAFARA MUGWARA, Xinhua reporter
3. various of people casting their votes
4. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JONATHAN MAHAKA, Voter
5. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): CHARLES SAKI, Voter
6. various of the SADC Election Observer Mission delegation monitoring the voting process
7. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): NERVOUS MUMBA, Head of Southern African Development Commission (SADC) Election Observer Mission
8. various of people casting their votes

STORYLINE:

Zimbabweans started to cast their ballots for a new president, parliament and local authorities Wednesday, with delays reported in the opening of some polling stations.

STANDUP (English): TAFARA MUGWARA, Xinhua reporter
"Zimbabweans are casting their ballots today in an election to choose a president, members of parliament, and representatives for local councils. A total of 11 candidates are vying for the country's top post, but the main contestants are incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who leads the ZANU-PF party and Nelson Chamisa, who leads the Citizens' Coalition for Change, also known as CCC. According to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, about 6.6 million people are registered to vote in this year's general election."

In Mbare, near downtown Harare, and Kuwadzana, long queues started forming before the scheduled opening time of 7 a.m. Young voters, who constitute the majority of the voting demography, were excited to participate in the election.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JONATHAN MAHAKA, Voter
"I am very excited to come and vote today. This is my third time, and I am very excited. Having my voice heard and participating in this election is a phenomenal feeling and I am very excited about that."

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): CHARLES SAKI, Voter
"Today we are very excited to come here and vote. I am particularly excited, and I can see others are also excited to come and vote as a way to exercise our civic duty. This is one of the ways that people can participate in the governance of a country, especially Zimbabwe, a democracy, so it's very exciting to be able to come here and cast our votes and be able to decide who governs us in terms of the presidency, and the councilors, and the MPs (Members of Parliament) for the next five years."
   
SOUNDBITE 3 (English): NERVOUS MUMBA, Head of Southern African Development Commission (SADC) Election Observer Mission
"We need to have some kind of sampling in different polling stations, but so far we are happy with the peace, we are happy with the turnout, and we are happy with the manner in which the election has started."
   
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said in a statement that some polling stations in the country, particularly in Harare and Bulawayo, did not open on time due to late deployment of election material due to last-minute legal challenges that had been lodged by contestants in the run-up to the poll.
  
It said all polling stations that opened late will remain open after 7 p.m. to cater for the period of the delay.
   
Early reports indicated huge voter turnout in some areas, and low in others, according to state media reports.
   
The counting of votes will immediately begin after the vote.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Harare.
(XHTV)