Rain disrupts voting process as voters struggle with wet ballot papers and name visibility

Mwanza. As the deadline for the ongoing Local Government Elections nears, heavy rainfall has hindered voter turnout in several areas of Mwanza Region, with some citizens reporting difficulty finding their names in the voter registry due to soaked and damaged papers.

The rain, which began at 7:30 a.m. shortly before polling stations opened and continued until 11:30 a.m., has affected various parts of Mwanza.

In several polling stations across the region, including Nyanza in Mkolani Ward, Bohari in Butimba, Igombe in Pamba, Nyamarango in Luchelele, and Nyamagana Stadium, voter turnout has been noticeably low, with some stations seeing no voters at all.

At Kabambo and Kitangiri polling stations in Ilemela District, complaints were raised by voters who found their names difficult to locate, as the voter lists were soaked and torn by the rain.

Levin Alfred, a resident of Kabambo, explained that the wet ballot papers had made it impossible for him to identify his name.

He had to queue for further verification in a special register at the polling station’s desk.

"The biggest challenge is finding our names. Some people can't find theirs, and time is running out, making it difficult to vote. I haven’t seen my name yet, so I’m going to check the register,” Alfred said.

Another resident, Zaitun Ally, expressed frustration as she was unable to locate her name by 9:00 a.m. and was beginning to lose hope of voting.

"I’ve been searching for my name, but I still can't find it. The papers with the names have been soaked by the rain," Ally lamented.

Amina Issa, a resident of Nyamarango in Mwanza, emphasized that despite the rain, it is a civic duty to vote, and she stopped her work to fulfill her responsibility. "It's my right to vote, and I won't let the rain stop me," she said.

Hamidu Said from Mirongo, also in Mwanza, noted that although the rain had reduced voter turnout, the importance of local government leaders motivated him to encourage others to participate.

"The rain has slowed down the voter turnout, but as the rain subsides, more people are coming out. If the rain continues, I urge people to go to the polling stations," Said urged.

In light of these challenges, Shaban Itutu, National Chairman of the Alliance for Democratic Change (ADC), called on the Ministry of State in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Governments) to ensure that future election infrastructures are weatherproof to prevent disruptions in the voting process.

"It’s essential to provide facilities that are not affected by weather changes, as this could prevent people from exercising their right to vote," Itutu added, noting that similar complaints about missing names had been raised at his polling station.

In response to the situation, Sijaona Karoli appealed to the government to extend the voting time to allow citizens the chance to fulfill their civic duty. "I believe the government should add two more hours until 12 p.m. to allow those who are stuck at home because of the rain to cast their votes," Karoli said.

Election Coordinator for Mwanza City Council, Kiomoni Kibamba, expressed satisfaction with the overall voter response, despite the rain. He urged those who had not yet voted to make their way to the polling stations before the closure.

"Rain is a blessing. Even though it has rained, we encourage everyone to come out and vote," Kibamba emphasized.

In Ilemela District, Election Officer Ummy Wayayu confirmed receiving complaints about names being difficult to read due to the rain. However, she reassured voters that instructions had been given to polling station officials to reprint and display names clearly before the polls closed.

Reported by Mgongo Kaitira, Anania Kajuni, and Timothy Lugoye