Zimbabwe -- Farmers providing election support arrested
Michael Laban, left, a member of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, registers an appeal with Zimbabwe police Inspector Martin Mberi after being told that his name had been deleted from the voters roll at Avondale polling station in Harare on the first day of the Presidential Elections, Saturday March 9, 2002. (AP PHOTO) - Mar 09 6:53 AM ET
Mike Auret, left, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change MP for Harare Central is assisted by Presiding Officer Gladys Chirokote, center, and an election officer after he discovered he had been struck off the voters roll at Avondale polling station in Harare, on the first day of the Zimbabwe Presidential Elections, Saturday March 9, 2002. Auret protested and later in the day presented evidence of his citizenship, and the election officials allowed him to vote.(AP PHOTO) - Mar 09 6:43 AM ET
Zimbabwe -- voters refuse to leave queues [Excerpt] Another determined auto electrician exclaimed: "Come rain, come thunder, I am going to vote."
Other hungry voters complained that they could not leave the queue to go and get food, because if they did leave the Mbuya Nehanda hall grounds, police would not let them back in.
Dorcas Zifambi, said she had left a seven-month-old breastfeeding baby at home at 03:00 hoping she would return home within reasonable time to attend to her child. Eleven hours later she had not yet cast her ballot and had not been back home.
Susan Gamunorwa, 60, who suffers from asthma and diabetes was lying on the ground next to the queue, saying she was feeling weak as she had not had recourse to either medication nor food.
Another woman said she had left her very ill sister at home who needed constant monitoring and was worried about her condition as she had not been fed. [End Excerpt]