Midlands—During the preparations for the 2023 Elections, everyone was peaceful and there was no violence occurring in my community. Elders and those with disabilities were aided in voting; agents made sure to help those who could not see very well and those who did not know where exactly to put their X. I also noticed that people’s freedom of speech was being exhibited as everyone was free to say however they felt about the election and its candidates.
There were a lot of women at the polling station, representing our majority well; this included women that came to vote and women that were working as observers and agents. The Zimbabwe Republic Police were present at the polling stations too; however, there were more male officers than women. When it came to women’s participation in running for office, the numbers were quite low and there was no equal representation of women.
During the voting process, there was no hostility between the two major parties along with their respective supporters. Everyone engaged with each other peacefully and there was no violence. Even during the preparations toward the election, everyone was peaceful. I can only hope this never changes.