By EDN Reporters
Polling stations across Eswatini have started sealing ballot boxes as day one of the elections comes to an end.
The day was marked by people turning up in their numbers to different voting stations to cast their ballots to elect people they believe will deliver services for them.
The day started shakily with delays caused by the aftermath of a storm that battered the country on Friday night. The storm affected the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) infrastructure and compelled the EBC officers to conduct the voting process manually.
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Notably, their system experienced network failure and they could not verify the registered electorate automatically. This resulted in the electorate queuing for longer hours than they had anticipated.
This unfortunate situation was experienced by the electorate in various constituencies but that did not demper the mood of those who wanted to make their vote count.
EBC spokesperson Mbonisi Bhembe said voting continued smoothly and they anticipated that everyone would have a chance to cast his vote by 7 p.m.
When darkness gripped the nation, some polling stations whose infrastructure was damaged had to improvise to ensure the electorate could vote.
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EBC officials at Manzini Central High School used a light lamp to assist voters. After the storm experienced the night before the primary election took place, Manzini central polling station also experienced a power cut which lasted all day.
Even though a generator was present, for a period of about 20 minutes, the polling station opted to use a light lamp as a source of light. Voters refused to be put down by the circumstances that they knew were beyond the control of the electoral body.
The voters braved the hot weather experienced during the day and the drop in temperature in the evening to ensure they made their mark. Vote counting is expected to continue throughout the evening.
