As Zimbabwe readies for the 2023 harmonized elections, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) implores the government of Zimbabwe to implement electoral reforms in line with the dictates of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG).

Some of these reforms include; the need to create a conducive electoral environment that will see the effective participation of citizens without fear, as well as reviewing outstanding electoral administration issues which will lead to free, fair and credible elections; enhancing the participation of women; the youth and people with disabilities in electoral processes as candidates and voters; extending voting rights to those in the diaspora and prisons; and the setting up of the Integrity and Ethics Committee to deal with the misdemeanors of traditional leaders in elections. This follows the completion of the formal ratification procedures for ACDEG by the Government of Zimbabwe. After depositing the Instrument of Ratification to the African Union, it means that Zimbabwe has become a State Party bound by the Charter. ZESN and other CSOs have been lobbying for the ratification of the Charter which was signed on the 21st March 2018 at an AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Rwanda by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

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As part of their commitment to support democratic development and promote credible, transparent, and accountable electoral processes in Zimbabwe, the Election Resource Centre (ERC) and Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) observed the first phase of the registration blitz and shall observe the second phase of the BVR blitz on an independent and nonpartisan basis for all Zimbabweans. The joint observation effort serves to provide citizens and key stakeholders with accurate, independent, timely, and credible information on the BVR blitz process. ERC and ZESN’s further objective is to ensure the BVR blitz is transparent, inclusive, and accountable as well as follows regional and international best practices.

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The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) implores electoralstakeholders to foster peace ahead of the March 26 by-elections and 2023 harmonized elections. The network is deeply concerned about the recent spate of inter-party as well as intra-party violence that occurred which taints the credibility of electoral processes.

The recent violent clashes have a potential to adversely affect the turnout of citizens on the ongoing voter registration exercise as violence impacts negatively on the participation in electoral processes especially of women and people with disabilities. Political and electoral related violence undermines civil and political rights and affects citizens’ right to compete in electoral processes. Also; it erodes trust in democratic processes as well as
undermines the quality of democracy thereby, limiting inclusive participation.

Furthermore, acts of violence often lead to voter apathy, especially among women and people with disabilities which in turn defeats the desired 50/50 approach to gender balance in electoral processes and leadership positions.

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As the World celebrates International Human Rights Day today, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) implores all stakeholders to uphold fundamental human rights as they are integral to all human beings regardless of their nationality or gender. This is provided for in Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) – “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” International Day of Human Rights commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948. ‘Human rights’ refer to basic rights or freedoms that include people’s right to live, health, and education, freedom of speech and thoughts as well as equal rights.

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The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has postponed the Mobile Voter Registration which was scheduled to commence on 6 December 2021 to February 2022, after realising that the Registrar General’s Office is currently not in a position to issue out national identity cards (IDs), citing lack of resources. ZEC has said that it cannot conduct its massive voter registration blitz, unless and until eligible voters have acquired national identity cards (IDs), which are a prerequisite for voter registration. Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) implores government to resource the Civil Registry in order to empower it to conduct an inclusive exercise of issuing national identity cards to eligible citizens.

Voting is a democratic right which only those who are registered to vote can enjoy. A national ID or valid passport is a requirement for one to be able to register to vote. Young people, citizens who lost IDs and those who have become eligible have been finding it difficult to get the IDs, threatening their disenfranchisement in electoral processes. Given that young people constitute the biggest demographic group in Zimbabwe, their participation in elections is critical as democracy is essentially about the participation of the majority.

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The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) is concerned about the continued suspension of by-elections in light of the observations made regarding religious, political and social gatherings around the country. The Network observed that, recently, there has been a hive of activity with multitudes of congregates at religious or church gatherings and camps in Zimbabwe where concern about protecting peoples’ health does not seem to have been given equal weight as in the suspension of by-elections.

The opening up of businesses, schools, restaurants, and bars; the recent elections in Zambia and the ongoing local government elections in neighboring South Africa in the context of Covid-19, are a clear indication that by-elections can be held under strict Covid-19 protocols.

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The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has been tracking progress by the government in the implementation of electoral reforms premised on recommendations proffered by local, regional and international Election Observer Missions (EOMs) to the 2018 harmonized elections. Notably, parliament passed and the President assented to the Constitutional Amendment Number 2, which extended the women’s quota in the National Assembly for another ten (10) years, introduced a 30 percent women’s quota in local government, and provided for a quota for ten (10) youths in the National Assembly on a party-list basis and five (5) female youths within the current women’s quota.

While Constitutional Amendment Number 2 extended the women’s quota for another 10 years, introduced a 30 percent women’s quota in local government, ZESN is of the view that, notably this amounts to a change, however it is unlikely that gender parity will be attained in the 2023 elections based on this electoral framework. Concerning youth participation, the Amendment now provides for a youth quota system. While the constitutional change guarantees some youthful representatives in the National Assembly, it appears that the number of representatives provided for in the Amendment was not informed by a scientific approach or meaningful consultations with the affected youth. The quota is at odds with population demographics and official voter registration and participation statistics. Further, whereas the Amendment mentioned People with Disabilities (PwDs), it was short on details for implementation. The Zimbabwe Gender Commission adopted a Gender and Inclusion Policy, while it is a positive development, it cannot be enforced as law.

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