By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
There is need for robust civic and voter education interventions encouraging voters to vote in elections; peace building initiatives targeting political parties and local communities and their leadership to reduce incidences of violence and intimidation as well as voter apathy; a report by Zimbabwe Election Support Network said.
ZESN is a coalition/network of 37 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) which was formed in 2000.
The major focus of the Network is to promote democratic processes in general and free and fair elections in particular.
On 26 March 2022, by-elections were held to fill in 28 vacancies in National Assembly seats and 122 in local authorities.
Most of the vacancies arose as a result of recalls that followed squabbles in the then main opposition, the MDC Alliance.
According to the Report high numbers of assisted voters as well as redirected voters were observed at some polling stations.
“The participation of women and youth in the by-elections was noticeably low. CCC won 19 of the seats while ZANU-PF emerged victorious in nine. After the 2018 harmonised elections, 20 of the seats were held by the MDC Alliance, seven by ZANU-PF, and only one by the NPF. Overall, turnout was very low in the by-elections,” the report said.
“In view of the observations made, there is need for robust civic and voter education interventions encouraging voters to vote in elections; peace building initiatives targeting political parties and local communities and their leadership to reduce incidences of violence and intimidation; avoiding setting up polling stations in privately owned properties or near controversial spaces, for instance near political party billboards or offices; and considering having the same closing date for National Assembly and local authority by-elections voters’ rolls, among other things.”
Contrary to what would ordinarily happen, the report said, the by-elections were held long after the lapse of the 90-day period within which vacancies should be constitutionally filled in.
“This was because of the indefinite suspension of by-elections by the government on account of the COVID-19 pandemic and in spite of the opening of other sectors of the country and resumption of other activities such as physical church gatherings, reopening of schools, restaurants, bars and other public facilities,” he report said.
In the 2018 harmonised elections, 20 of the National Assembly seats were won by the MDC Alliance, seven by ZANU-PF, and only one by the NPF.
In the 26 March 2022 by-elections, the CCC won 19 of the seats while ZANU-PF emerged victorious in nine.
Despite the win, CCC led by Nelson Chamisa insisted that the elections were not free and fair citing lack of electoral reforms.
The ZESN report also points at Voters’ rolls for National Assembly and local government elections which closed at different times, with the implication that voters who were not aware of it learnt on Election Day that in some cases they could only vote for Members of Parliament but not Councillors.
“This pointed to the inadequacy of voter education,” the report said.
About Author
