Some members of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) who were hired as polling agents in Hwange Centra for the national elections on August 23 have reportedly not been paid for their services.
Those who raised these concerns in the CCC Hwange Central Polling Agents WhatsApp group were removed by the group administrators for being “too vocal.”
CCC had reportedly deployed three polling agents in some areas, where the party provided them with food on Election Day.
The affected polling agents from Empumalanga Suburb in Hwange told CITE that their local chief elections officer promised them they would be paid but did not disclose how much.
“When we asked our chief polling agent, he said the party is supposed to pay us. When we asked who was responsible for making the payments, whether there is any treasurer, provincial office or any local office, we were told CCC has no structures. From the ground up to the main, the head is (CCC leader Nelson) Chamisa,” said one of the polling agents.
“We are not getting answers via the proper channels. We don’t have the actual figures of how much we will receive.The chief elections officer in Ward 4 just said we will receive our money or tokens of appreciation.”
The polling agents stated there were over 150 polling agents in the WhatsApp group, but if they dared to question the group administrators, they were removed.
“About seven to eight members were removed from the group for being too vocal. The group admins include one Charity Munenge and the MP, Daniel Molokele,” said one of the disgruntled agents.
“We don’t know if other polling agents in Victoria Falls and Lupane have been paid. But I know two guys in Lupane who were complaining that they too have not been paid. In some instances, some candidates who were businesspeople and had extra money were paying agents from their pockets.”
According to the polling agents, the party should have indicated if they were experiencing financial difficulties or if they were to function as agents for free.
“Now the candidates we were serving have positions but when you raise the issue you are labeled names,” said the polling agents.
When contacted for a response, the Hwange Central MP – Molokele, referred the reporter to Luka Katako and his personal assistant, Thulani Moyo saying: “The following two persons have been consistently updating the polling agents.”
However, Katako’s phone rang without a response while Moyo’s number was unreachable.
Both had neither answered to questions sent to them via WhatsApp by the time this article was published.
CCC national spokesperson, Promise Mkhwananzi, who was also contacted said the polling agents “should get in touch with the relevant authorities within the party,” which was the “Elections department.”
