Zimbabweans in diaspora pin voting hopes on 10th parliament

The Zimbabwe Diaspora Vote Initiative (ZDVI) is calling on the country's 10th parliament to amend the Electoral Amendment Act, allowing Zimbabweans living abroad to participate in general elections. The organization congratulated the newly sworn-in parliamentarians and urged them to change the current laws that permit Zimbabweans working at the country's embassies to vote while excluding other diaspora residents in the same region.

ZDVI argued that Zimbabweans living abroad make significant contributions to the country's economy through remittances and should have the right to vote. Diaspora remittances have been increasing, with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe reporting a 15% rise in remittances for the six months leading up to June 2023, amounting to US$919 million.

The organization emphasized that the current legislation, which allows embassy staff to vote but excludes other diaspora Zimbabweans, violates the constitution's principle of granting every citizen the right to vote. ZDVI called for a change in the law to ensure that all Zimbabweans in the diaspora, regardless of their location or employer, have the opportunity to participate in the country's electoral process.

ZDVI also noted that the number of Zimbabweans working abroad is likely to continue to rise as more individuals seek better opportunities outside the country.