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Justice Simango

FOR most of us, Election Day marked a welcome end to months of relentless political ads and partisan bickering. You show up at your polling station, run the gauntlet of sign-wielding campaign volunteers, and join your fellow Zimbabweans in long queues that inch toward the voting booth.

Zimbabweans went to the polls on July 30 in historic elections. Many international and local observers have hailed the manner in which the 2018 harmonised elections were conducted.

Indeed, I was part of the long queue of voters that waited to cast their ballots at the Catholic University polling station in Bulawayo and I must commend the level of respect, good behaviour and etiquette that voters, the agents, the police and Zec officials practised throughout the day.

I didn’t notice anyone who was “especially pushy” in making his/her views known as people waited to vote. To me, such an experience has coloured views on how people ought to act at the polling station.

“Voting is a sacred privilege,” people don’t need to know which candidate you voted for and fellow voters don’t care to know your status or opinion either.”

Zec made everyone aware of some of the polling station etiquette that voters were expected to preserve. According to the Electoral Act, it is against the law to practise passive electioneering, such as wearing political buttons or T-shirts within a certain distance of the polling station. It was good to see all the voters smartly dressed in their casual wear; something we expected to see on a public holiday after all.

In other parts of the country, reports said voters woke up as early as 4AM to be the first to exercise their democratic and constitutional right. Thumbs up to all the early birds, hopefully the same takes place at your workplace and business meetings.

Thomas Hollihan, a professor at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism says that for him, voting is “a bit like church”.

“Elections are civic rituals, which in some ways are similar to formal religious rituals,” says Hollihan, who wrote the book Uncivil Wars: Political Campaigns in a Media Age. “I think it means one should be on their best and most polite behaviour,” he says.

Allan Louden, a professor of political communication at Wake Forest University, agrees that voter-line etiquette means talking politics is out.

High five to all the Zimbabweans who did their best to honour the privacy of the vote, and that we allowed each person to make up his or her own mind.

The African Union Election Observer Mission (AUEOM) said Zimbabwe’s political space has significantly improved compared to the last election as witnessed by the peaceful and calm environment that prevailed before and during this year’s harmonised polls.

In the same vein, the Association For Free Research and International Cooperation (AFRIC) gave thumbs up to Zec. One of the AFRIC members, Mirjam Katharina Zwingli from Switzerland said: “I was positively impressed by the organisation of the presidential election. I was incredibly touched by the pride I saw in people’s eyes standing in the queues, very calm and very proud. I also saw self-confidence. I saw the polling officials and they seem very meticulous trying to do everything by the book.”

General respect was witnessed in all the  10 000 plus polling stations across the country. First preference was given to pregnant mothers and the elderly citizens who were given the chance to cast their ballots first. The police executed their duties in a professional manner, I am sure all who voted on Monday can agree with the writer that, indeed, peace, law and order were maintained extensively.

Like I always say, “there is a place and time for everything”. Voters at my polling station were sober; no one behaved in a barbaric manner of some sort.

Those who were smoking made the courteous move of excusing themselves from the queue. A sense of co-existence that was felt at the scene was up to par, the young and the old voters knew how to relate and address each other — it was amazing!

There is surely a lot to applaud; the general behaviour that was presented on July 30 by Zimbabweans is second to none. We have climbed a step further in promoting and protecting ethics, manners and etiquette. It’s a clear indication that we now uphold and respect cross-cultures, tolerate differences and observe constitutionalism and democracy.

Likewise, in any election race, the road to state house is exciting; we will surely miss the star rallies, and all the interesting slogans and adverts that had become the breakfast for the public.

It’s therefore apt to congratulate all the duly elected representatives, makorokoto, amhlophe, congratulations. Good Luck in your term of office.

– Justice Simango is a Business Etiquette and Grooming Expert who writes in his own capacity. He is a member of Toastmasters International. Feedback: [email protected]