The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) organized, coordinated and convened two roadshows at Cowdray Park Terminus and at Efusini Shopping Centre in Makokoba, Bulawayo on 2 December 2023. The Civic and Voter Education (CVE) roadshows were organised to sensitize and encourage registered voters in the two constituencies to go and vote in peace on 9 December 2023. A call was made to the participants to cascade the peace message to other constituencies also scheduled to hold by-elections on 9 December. Read More
ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS ON CVE ROADSHOWS
ZESN PRELIMINARY STATEMENT ON THE CHINHOYI MUNICIPALITY WARD 2 BY-ELECTION
Harare- 03 December 2023– In the spirit of promoting democratic elections in Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) observed Local Authority by-election on 2 December, 2023 in Chinhoyi Municipality Ward 2. The by-election in which Zimbabwe African National Unity Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) won the seat was held to fill in a vacancy that arose in the Ward following the death of the incumbent Councillor Patricia Chibaya of the Citizens Coalition for Change ( CCC).
Legal Framework
The by-election was held in accordance with Section 121 A of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) following the death of the incumbent Councillor. The Nomination Court sat at the office of the Town Clerk in Chinhoyi on Friday 27 October 2023 for the purposes of receiving nominations of candidates for the vacant ward. The Nomination Court approved the candidature of Jonasi Hamilton of CCC and Mutevani Walter of ZANU-PF.
Observation methodology
ZESN trained and deployed 4 static observers who were accredited by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to observe the Local Authority by-election. The observers were deployed to four (4) polling stations a few days before polling to observe the electoral and political developments ahead of the polls. The findings and recommendations of this preliminary statement are made in reference to the Electoral Laws of Zimbabwe, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Principles and Guidelines Governing the Conduct of Democratic Elections as well as other regional and African election guidelines and principles. This preliminary statement is based on reports received from the ZESN observers.
November 11, 2023, By-Election Report
November 11 by-elections were held to fill vacancies in five (5) Local Authority Wards and one (1) National Assembly Constituency. By-elections were held for the National Assembly and Local Authority following the deaths of candidates and incumbent respectively.
Nomination Courts sat on October 10 to consider candidates in respective Local Authorities and in Masvingo for the National Assembly Constituency. In the run-up to the by-elections ZESN deployed Long-Term Observers (LTOs and Short-term Observers (STOs) to observe the political environment and other key electoral related processes. The observations established that the environment was largely peaceful, with isolated cases of violations. In its observations, ZESN focused on, among other things, the campaigns, voter education, polling day processes, counting, collation and announcement of results. Read More
Blessing Shumba encourages peaceful participation at Hauna Roadshow
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ZESN Conducts Edutainment Roadshow in Kotwa, Mudzi District
The Delimitation Process: Principles and Factors when Delimiting Electoral Boundaries
The Delimitation Process
Alignment of The Electoral Act to the Constitution
The Route Towards the 2023 Harmonised Elections in Zimbabwe
The Republic of Zimbabwe conducts harmonised elections every five years. The 2018 electoral environment was a momentous one in the country’s electoral history. The interest in the election was marked by various descriptions such as “watershed elections”, “elections of our lifetime”, and “apocalyptic elections” (Njeru, 2018: 8). Stakeholders had varied expectations and fears for the process and outcome. A case in point was the transition from politics centred around personalities, patronage, and clientelism to an era of issue-based, competitive politics where democratic values are entrenched and the return to macroeconomic stabilisation” (Zimbabwe Council of Churches, 2018: 12). Read More
ZESN PRELIMINARY STATEMENT ON THE 11 November BY-ELECTIONS
12 November 2023 – In line with its mission to promote democratic free and fair electoral processes through objectively and impartially observing elections in Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) observed the Gutu West National Assembly in Masvingo Province and Hurungwe Rural District Council (RDC) Ward 24, Kusile RDC Ward 13, Nkayi RDC Ward 11, Vungu RDC Ward 14 and Zvimba RDC Ward 23 Local Authority by-elections on 11 November 2023. The by-elections in which the ruling party won all except Kusile RDC Ward 13, were held after vacancies arose following the death of nominated candidates – Christopher Mutonhori Rwodzi, Gutu West Constituency Independent candidate; Muganhiri Richard, Zvimba Ward 23, Mtangi Myambo Vungu Ward 14, Nyoni Lisbert Sabelo Kusile Ward 13, Mpofu Jabulani, Nkayi Ward 11 and the death of the elected Councillor Faro Kuyerukana Hurungwe Ward 24.
Legal Framework
The by-elections were held under Sections 50 and 121A of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) for the National Assembly and Local Authority Councillors following the passing on of the candidates and incumbent respectively. The Nomination Court sat on 10 October 2023 to consider nominations for by-elections in Hurungwe RDC Ward 24, Kusile RDC Ward 13, Nkayi RDC Ward 11, Vungu RDC Ward 14 and Zvimba RDC Ward as well as Gutu West Constituency. For Gutu West constituency, Kurwa Robson (NCA), Morudu Ephraem (CCC), Mudzingwa Martin Sebastine (Independent) and Paradza John (ZANU-PF) were duly nominated as candidates. For Hurungwe RDC Ward 24, Kasirowe Ezekiel (CCC), Makumbe Jerry (ZANU-PF) were duly nominated, whilst for the Kusile RDC Ward 13 by-election, Gama Michael (ZAPU), Moyo Busani Kembo (UZA), Ncube Mthelisi (ZANU-PF) and Qonda Tarcissius (CCC) were successfully nominated as candidates. In Nkayi Ward 11, Khumalo Mubonisii (CCC), Mpofu Mzila (ZAPU), Ncube Mandla (ZANU-PF) and Ndlovu Philip (MDC-T) were nominated as candidates. In Vungu Ward 14, the Nomination Court approved the candidature of Matambiko
Annah Chipo (CCC) and Muchemwa Aaron (ZANU-PF), while in Zvimba RDC Chinanzvavana Manuel (CCC), Gomani Pamellah (Independent), Muganhiri Ceccillia (ZANU-PF) and Rabu Enock Junior (NCA) were duly nominated as candidates for the by-elections.
Observation methodology
In order to effectively gather, disseminate and communicate objective information about the by-elections, ZESN trained and deployed 65 static observers and seven (7) mobile observers in the National Assembly by-election in Gutu West Constituency, Masvingo Province and in Hurungwe Rural District Council (RDC) Ward 24, Kusile RDC Ward 13, Nkayi RDC Ward, 11 Vungu RDC Ward 14 and Zvimba RDC Ward 23 Local Authority By-elections. Of the 65 observers, 35 were deployed to Gutu West Constituency, 9 were deployed in Hurungwe RDC Ward 24, 5 in Kusile RDC Ward 13, 5 in Zvimba RDC Ward 23, 5 in Nkayi RDC Ward 11 and 6 in Vungu RDC Ward 14. The observer deployment strategy ensured that ZESN had observers covering all the Collation Centres at the respective wards and Constituency, in addition to selected polling stations.
The findings and recommendations of this preliminary statement are made in reference to the Electoral Laws of Zimbabwe, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Principles and Guidelines Governing the Conduct of Democratic Elections as well as other regional and African election guidelines and principles. This preliminary statement is based on reports received from the ZESN observers.
