Gwanda never rejected diaspora votes

Gwanda Residents Association spokesperson Bekezela Maduma Fuzwayo has dismissed state media reports that Gwanda residents rejected the issue of diaspora votes at a consultative meeting conducted by a parliamentary portfolio committee on electoral reforms.

"Ooh come on guys please stop believing and spreading this useless story that the people of Gwanda unanimously vouched that Zimbabweans in the diaspora should not be allowed to vote from where they are based. Since when did Zimbabweans suddenly have so much belief in some of these state edited and published Zimpapers Newspapers?" he said.

"How soon have we forgotten that Gwanda was the only place where a petition on electoral reforms was delivered to ZEC against all efforts to block for the delivery of the petitions country wide. Just as a tip off to colleagues demanding for electoral reforms. On the issue of the diaspora vote Zanu PF suddenly appears to have found something to talk about in the electoral reforms agenda. The moment you talk of the diaspora vote they gladly engage and can go a whole day happily talking about one subject."

He said one tunes into state controlled radio or TV or newspapers they are busy making noise only about the diaspora vote as if it's THE electoral reforms people are making noise about.

"After all, if an honest analysis and truth be told, indeed while we will not stop fighting for the diaspora vote, it is now definitely too late to think of it as a consideration for the 2018 elections and really not worth being the focal point in the demand for electoral reforms," he said.

"After all, the petitions under discussion from ERC and NERA in the demand to have ALL eligible Zimbabweans being accorded the opportunity to freely vote are not only talking of Zimbabweans in the diaspora but including those in prisons, hospitals, army barracks, camps etc. Don't limit the demand to the diaspora vote only."

He said there are a lot more demands in the electoral reforms that need to be heavily tackled over and above the diaspora vote.

"We have the very important issue of the porous voters roll which is easily manipulative to NIKUV shenanigans. Issues of people voting under duress due to threats, violence and subjectiveness, use of state machinery to buy votes, independence of ZEC, selection of observers, and a host more demands for consideration too," he said.

"Can we not be distracted as Zimbabweans and keep focused on our demands for holistic electoral reforms. These reforms are our right as a nation. We have a constitutional right to the full implementation of the reforms as prescribed in the constitution and a right to free, fair and credible elections where our wishes are not subverted."