News / National
'Zimbabwe recalls fuelling voter apathy'
12 Dec 2023 at 01:05hrs | Views
THE recent recalls of Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislators and councillors is fuelling voter apathy, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (Zesn) has said.
Other election observers have generally described the polls held on Saturday as a farce after approximately 20% of registered voters participated in the by-elections occasioned by self-proclaimed CCC interim secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu who recalled several CCC MPs, senators and councillors who had won in the country's August 23 and 24 harmonised elections.
In its preliminary report on the just ended elections, Zesn said voter turnout and morale were subdued.
"Zesn observers reported that there were low numbers of people who turned up to exercise their constitutional right to choose a representative of their choice in the National Assembly and local authority by-elections. Furthermore, most of the voters who were turning up to vote were largely females," Zesn said.
The electoral watchdog expressed concern over voter apathy, describing it as voter protest.
"Recalls affect democratic essence and this has been evidenced by the decreasing numbers in voter turnout in by-elections held so far since the 2023 harmonised elections.
"Whereas section 67 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe states that ‘every Zimbabwean has the right to vote', there seems to be fewer uptake on exercising this constitutional right to elect leaders by eligible voters in Zimbabwe during by-elections," the organisation said.
Zesn said voter apathy diluted the value of democracy.
"Furthermore, lack of intra-party democracy, processes and laws or rules governing the selection of leaders and candidates could also be attributed as one of the reasons which led to low turnout as it affects voters' motivation and participation in electoral processes," the report said.
It implored Parliament to amend section 129(k) of the Constitution, saying recalls affect the essence of democracy.
"The power to recall, if any, must reside in the people and not political parties as is the trend in the majority of democracies.
"There is a need to register and regulate political parties to address the issue of recalls as they bring into question the significance and relevance of elections," Zesn added.
Other election observers have generally described the polls held on Saturday as a farce after approximately 20% of registered voters participated in the by-elections occasioned by self-proclaimed CCC interim secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu who recalled several CCC MPs, senators and councillors who had won in the country's August 23 and 24 harmonised elections.
In its preliminary report on the just ended elections, Zesn said voter turnout and morale were subdued.
"Zesn observers reported that there were low numbers of people who turned up to exercise their constitutional right to choose a representative of their choice in the National Assembly and local authority by-elections. Furthermore, most of the voters who were turning up to vote were largely females," Zesn said.
The electoral watchdog expressed concern over voter apathy, describing it as voter protest.
"Recalls affect democratic essence and this has been evidenced by the decreasing numbers in voter turnout in by-elections held so far since the 2023 harmonised elections.
"Whereas section 67 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe states that ‘every Zimbabwean has the right to vote', there seems to be fewer uptake on exercising this constitutional right to elect leaders by eligible voters in Zimbabwe during by-elections," the organisation said.
Zesn said voter apathy diluted the value of democracy.
"Furthermore, lack of intra-party democracy, processes and laws or rules governing the selection of leaders and candidates could also be attributed as one of the reasons which led to low turnout as it affects voters' motivation and participation in electoral processes," the report said.
It implored Parliament to amend section 129(k) of the Constitution, saying recalls affect the essence of democracy.
"The power to recall, if any, must reside in the people and not political parties as is the trend in the majority of democracies.
"There is a need to register and regulate political parties to address the issue of recalls as they bring into question the significance and relevance of elections," Zesn added.
Source - newsday
