Staff Writer
The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has recommended political parties to encourage 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.
In its preliminary statement on the Kusile Rural District Council (RDC) Ward 13 and Redcliff Municipality Ward 3 held on 6 April 2023, the network said Councillors play pivotal roles in the governance and administrative machinery of local authorities by delivering essential services within their respective communities.
● _More needs to be done by political parties to encourage 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.
● _Additional voter education is imperative regarding local authority elections, given their critical role in shaping local governance. Local authority elections directly influence citizens’ daily lives by addressing essential aspects such as sanitation, public safety, health, infrastructure, and future developmental trajectories.
● _Political parties should urge their supporters to exercise patience while they wait for the conclusion of counting, collation, verification and announcement of results.
In the spirit of ensuring transparency, fairness and accountability crucial to democracy and safeguard election integrity ZESN observed Local Authority by-elections on 6 April 2024 in Kusile Rural District Council (RDC) Ward 13 and Redcliff Municipality Ward 3.
The by-elections in which Zimbabwe African National Unity Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) was declared winner in both the Redcliff Municipality and Kusile RDC Ward 13 seats were held to fill in vacancies that arose in the Wards following the death of incumbent Councillors.
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