Assessment:
In the 2018 electoral cycle, the results management system was not altered significantly. Issues from previous electoral cycles remain, including those related transparency, accuracy and verifiability of results.
Assessment:
Persons living with Disabilities (PWDs) are not adequately represented in Parliament. There is provision for two people with disabilities in Senate. The PWDs community recommend that a quarter for PWDs be made mandatory to support an increase in number of PWDs legislators. The seat allocated to PWDs should be spread across all the provinces.
There is need to domesticate the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) which Zimbabwe ratified in 2013[1], so as to guide efforts by government and other stakeholders’ interventions meant improve PWDs participation in political and public life[2].
[1] https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/TreatyBodyExternal/Treaty.aspx?CountryID=195&Lang=EN
[2] https://www.zesn.org.zw/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/ZESN-Position-Paper-on-the-Participation-of-People-with-Disabilities-in-Elections.pdf
Assessment:
The Constitutional Amendment number 2 proposes adding 10 reserved seats for the youth in the lower house of Parliament. Youth Organisations such as the National Association of Youth Organisations (NAYO) and Youth Empowerment and Transformation Trust (YETT) argue that the youth were not consulted when the government came up with the provisions for youth participation in Constitutional Amendment Number 2. Youth organisations believe the proposed youth seats should come from the existing 210 seats and that;
[1] https://www.zesn.org.zw/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ZESN-Position-Paper-on-Youth-Participation-in-Elections-and-Governace-Processes-in-Zimbabwe.pdf
Assessment:
The ZESN draft political party’s regulation bill has provisions that require political parties to ensure that they are inclusive in terms of making substantive appointment in their respective parties that women, youth and other disadvantaged groups are included in party structures.
On the other hand, Constitutional Amendment Bill number two proposes the extension of quotas for women by an additional 10 years. Women’s groups’ view is proposed extension as inadequate position, and inconsistent with Constitutional provisions. Recommendations from women’s organisations include:
The Zimbabwe Gender Commission is exploring the possibility of sponsoring the Gender Equality Act where all the gender equality provisions can be brought and expressed in a manner that can make the rights enshrined in the Commission justiciable.
[1] https://www.wcoz.org/2018/08/29/placing-womens-rights-on-the-presidents-agenda/
Assessment:
In addition to provisions at law that encourage comprehensive deployment of party agents as well as making Multi Party Liaison Committees (MPLCs) a permanent feature around the electoral cycle, ZESN is currently engaged in multiple conversations to solicit input on the feasibility of political party regulation in Zimbabwe. MPLCs are not yet a permanent feature on the country’s electoral landscape, the structures continue to be set up on an adhoc basis.
Assessment:
Assessment for the 2023 election cycle is ongoing. Currently there is no movement on the election administration issues listed above. During the COVID -19 pandemic the ZEC had responded commendably by developing a COVID-19 Policy to guide the work of ZEC during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately the Policy was not put to the test as the Government, through the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare suspended by-elections indefinitely through the use of Statutory Instrument 225A of 2020.
Zimbabwe has conducted three sets of elections[1] on the basis of one set of delimitation. 2008, 2013 and 2018 elections. Boundary delimitation for the 2023 elections should be timeously conducted. There is need to rationalise constituencies that are too big and those that are too small. Clear regulations for delimitation must be put in place.
Assessment:
There been significant improvement in the area of legislation that has an impact on the boundary delimitation process. The government accented to the Census and Statistics Amendment Bill of 2020. The Bill amended the Census and Statistics Act (Chapter 10:29) to allow for the national censuses to be conducted in a manner that will enable the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to take into account census data when delimiting electoral boundaries every 10 years as required by section 161 (1) of the Constitution. The Bill has also moved forward the Census that was due in 2022 to be completed by 1 July 2021.
The ZESN Petition notes that the structure of the Observer Accreditation Committee must be reviewed in keeping with the principle of the independence of the Commission.
Assessment:
The observer accreditation process must be managed by the ZEC, any consultations with the security services should be done on the side-lines. However this needs to be provided for at law.
The Constitution grants every Zimbabwean the right to vote. This the Electoral Law does not give life to, as it excludes millions in the Diaspora, remand prison and hospital. In keeping with the thrust of the new dispensation to include citizens in the Diaspora in national development, the selective inclusion of Zimbabweans in the Diaspora and those in places of confinement and hospitals must be reviewed. This also includes citizens’ hospital staff, nurses and doctors who will be on duty on Election Day. The expansion of special voting must be considered to cater for these groups.
Assessment:
Special Voting rights have not yet been expanded. The ZESN draft Electoral Amendment Bill under review in Parliament, has provisions for special voting and recommend that the special vote be done in a more transparent manner and be accessible to a wider range of voters who may not be able to present themselves physically at their assignment polling stations on Election Day.
Analysis:
There has not been any noticeable improvements on the quality of voter education processes since the 2018 Harmonised Elections. However the Commission has engaged electoral stakeholders in the development of more inclusive voter education curriculum and methodologies.
