By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
The Zimbabwe Election Support Network has recommended greater political literacy amongst the electorate to ensure improved voter turnout in local authority by-elections.
In its preliminary statement on Gweru Municipality wards and 4, 5 & 18 and Binga Rural District Council ward 20, ZESN which ensures democratic elections observed a low voter turnout.
“There is a need for greater political literacy amongst the electorate to ensure improved voter turnout in local authority by-elections and the enjoyment of political and electoral rights afforded them by Section 67 of the Constitution.
“There is need for ZEC and CSOs to provide continuous civic and voter education in areas where by-elections would be conducted to reduce instances of turned away and redirected voters.
“Voters should make use of the voters’ rolls displayed outside polling stations to enable them to identify the polling stations where they are supposed to cast their vote,” ZESN noted.
The think tank also recommended the need for political parties to observe the code of conduct stipulated in the Electoral Act especially as it relates to political campaigns.
“There is need for political parties to implement measures that ensure greater participation of their female members as electoral contestants.”
Voter turnout was particularly low in Gweru Municipality wards. For instance, at CJR Primary School in Gweru Ward 18 as at 1830hrs, 35 people had voted out of a voter population of 645.
In the same ward at Child Welfare, 58 people had voted by 1830hrs. In Ward 5 of Gweru Municipality, 86 people, out of a total of 448 turned out to vote.
In Binga Ward 20, voter turnout was slightly higher as compared to polling stations in Gweru Municipality.
For instance as at 1830hrs, 228 people out of 393 voted at Lubimbi Primary School. At Kavunikwa polling station 176 people voted out of the 289 expected.
Both ZANU-PF and CCC clinched two (2) each out of four (4) local authority seats that were being contested. The table below shows the results of the by-elections.
The by-elections in which both the ruling party and Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) won two seats each out of 4 local authority seats were held to fill in vacancies that arose following the recall of sitting councillors by the Movement for Democratic Change-Tsvangirai (MDC–T).
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