3. Objectives
› To unpack the implications of the
Electoral Amendment Act for the youth in
Zimbabwe
› To pool strategy for the engagement of
youth in the electoral processes.
› To reflect on elections as a development
process for young people
4. Are the youth of
Zimbabwe ready to
embrace elections
as a development
process rather than
an event?
5. Electoral Amendment Act:
Background and context
› What is an election? – a formal organized process of voting
to elect authority into place. Exercising choice in
establishing leadership and it follows numerous processes.
Young people need to understand the electoral process in
order for them to articulate the Electoral Act.
› The Electoral Amendment Act is a legal guide which should
provision for free fair and regular elections in a number of
processes before and after the actual voting processes. To
provide fair and level ground or contesters and voters at all
stages of the electoral cycle.
7. The relevance of the electoral
cycle for the Zimbabwean
Youth Movement
› Zimbabwe needs an election cycle which is
clearly defined so that young people can position
themselves strategically during the next election
period in 2013.
› The election cycle is therefore critical for young
people and Zimbabwe at large to map how they
can influence governance processes .
› In addition the cycle builds the capacity of young
people to review their contribution in participating
in public processes.
› It also positions elections as a development
process rather than an event.
8. Youth Issues on Elections In
Zimbabwe.
› Violence
› Apathy
› Voter education is inadequate
› Politics of exclusion
› The election cycle is not defined
› Absence of the political will power to streamline
fair and free elections by the contesting parties.
Electoral Environment
› Voter Education
› Electoral bodies- young people are excluded in
the governance structures of electoral processes.
9. Unpacking the Electoral
Amendment Act
› The Electoral Amendment Act has been reviewed with the overall
purpose of facilitating for free and fair elections.
› It however does not ascertain whether they will be regular.
› Most of the provisions will be factored in the next election which is
anticipated in March 2013 . However some provisions are
practically impossible to implement as the time remaining is not
enough to regulate the provisions . For example the Voter’s Role
and Polling station Based voter’s Roll.
› The Act however whilst it is not perfect or the ideal document
which can work for Zimbabwe it presents a lot of opportunities for
young people to exercise their right to vote and be voted for
should the provisions be adhered to by the contesting parties.
› In the analysis of the contents of the Act in the next slides I present
only the opportunities which young people can take advantage of
in order to make a youth difference in the next election. The
analysis is however not exhaustive of all the provisions of the Act.
10. Electoral Amendment Bill :Unpacking the contents
( Topical Summary of the issues )
› Voter registration and Voter s Roll
› Polling Station Based Voters Roll
› Presidential Elections and results
› Pre-emption of Results
› Voter Education
› Election Observation and Accreditation
› Nomination of Candidates
› Voting processes and Procedures
› Voting by Illiterate of by Physically handicapped Voters
› Postal and Special Voting
› Politically Motivated violence and Intimidation
› Media Coverage Electoral Court
› Electoral court
› Independence of the Commission
11. Voter registration and Voter’s
Roll
› Proof of residence- the provision of allowing voters to register to
vote if they can prove that they are resident in constituents
through the commissioner or by any other means gives leverage
and regulates the youth vote since they now have a wider
alternative to access proof of residence.
› The voter’s roll continues to be managed by the Registrar
General’s Office with the assistance of the Commission. This is
grey area as young people are concerned about the ability of
the Zimbabwe Electoral commission to regulate the voter’s roll
without undue influence form the registrar's office.
› Removal of deceased and absent voters as well as rejection of
the Diaspora Vote. – those who have not been resident in a
constituent for more than a year or who have not been in
Zimbabwe for a stipulated period. A lot of young people have
relocated out of Zimbabwe seeking employment as a result a
critical youth diaspora vote is lost.
12. Polling Station Based Voters
Roll
› Voters can now only vote in polling stations in
which they are registered not within the
constituency thereby minimising rigging or
voting twice or bussing in of voters from other
areas.
› This however might expose Voters to violence as
voting trends are easily traceable. In wake of
political tolerance this will therefore make the
voting environment volatile. Young people will
be greatly affected as they usually targeted
during elections. This provision is however not
going to be enacted in the next election
according to information coming ZEC.
13. Presidential Elections and
results
› The issue of accounting for presidential results is
a cause for concern for young people . The
presidium has retained the authority to
announce election dates which automatically
means the electoral cycle is not autonomous.
As it stands Zimbabwe has projected that it
does not have a clearly defined electoral
cycle. This disadvantages young people as they
cannot strategically position themselves in order
to make the election cycle work for their
benefit. This calls for the independence of the
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission which however
is not guaranteed in the Act.
14. Pre-emption of Results
› Election results shall only be announced by
responsible authorities which in this case are the
Commission and the registrar general’s Office.
› The return of all the elections will be posted
outside each polling station.
› There's a loophole as there is no clearly laid out
procedure for synchronising the poll results all
over the nation. The prerogative of legitimising
the results therefore remains with ZEC and The
Registrar generals Office. And young people will
not be able to leverage the results.
15. Voter Education
› The commission will have control of the Voter education
processes with it being limited to the Commission and any other
players identified by the Commission itself to assist in voter
education. Young people are therefore urged to engage ZEC in
order for them to conduct Voter Education. It is critical for
young people to engage in voter education as this can give
them an opportunity to shape and design information which the
voters should have in order for them to participate without
prejudice in the next election.
› All foreign funding for voter education should be channelled through
the commission. Most youth organisations depend on donor funding
when implementing their projects . This provision presents challenges
for organisations to mobilise for resources.
› ZEC will also review all Voter education Content which organisations
will propose to use. Under such regulations it will be difficult to push
for the Youth Electoral Agenda.
16. Election Observation and
Accreditation
› The Commission will select observers
through the Observers Accreditation
Committee OAC. The appointment is
based on political appointment. Young
people should also participate in
Election observation . ZEC should ensure
there’s a quota for that.
› No leeway for appeal should they deny
observers permission to monitor elections.
17. Nomination of Candidates
› Partyshould provide names of Candidate
to the Commission . Political parties should
ensure that young people are given the
opportunity to contest in elections as well.
18. Voting processes and
Procedures
› Elections dates still being announced by the
president
› Polling day is now between 42 and 63 days
after nomination of the candidates to give
more time for preparing for voting. This gives
youth more time to disseminate as much
information on elections as possible.
› The role of the police has been restricted. They
are no longer allowed in the polling station
unless at the request of the command officer
and they are under his authority. This instils
confidence in young people to vote.
19. Voting by Illiterate of by
Physically handicapped
Voters
› Phsyicallyhandicapped and Illiterate
voters can now be assisted to vote by
persons of their choice rather than the
electoral officials. This does not guarantee
the secrecy of the ballot . Voters may be
subject to intimidation in cases where they
do not have a relative or some one they
trust to assist.
20. Postal and Special Voting
› Special Voting should also be extended
to the elderly, immobile and
handicapped apart from the security
personnel.
› Postal voting is still restricted to those out of
the country for government business
21. Politically Motivated violence
and Intimidation
› Measures to stop political violence put in place.
› Set in what they call the Electoral Code of
Conduct which applies to all parties in an election.
› Political parties actually obliged to give wide
publicity to the code.
› Enshrines rights which candidates and supporters
should be provisioned for and those which they
should uphold as well.
› Disseminate accurate information on Elections.
› Makes a list of prohibited actions in the election.
› Generally give an explicit conduct in which parties
should uphold before ,during and after elections
22. Media Coverage
› Media is expected to cover fairly all
electoral proceedings for all parties.
› It should be unbiased and balanced,
accurate
› Media Commission will monitor media
coverage for elections.
› Youth are now able express their views on
elections through media if this regulation is
implemented effectively.
23. Electoral court
› Will resolve dispute and assume all powers
of the High Court in relation to electoral
matters such as appeals, petitions and
reviews of the Electoral Act.
› It has jurisdiction on matters under the
Electoral act
› youth can take up their concerns on
electoral disputes to the electoral court. This
at least guarantees legal protection of the
vote to some extent.
24. Independence of the
Commission
› Restated the provisions of the ZEC Act..
› Nothing new was amended in the ZEC Act.
› ZEC however is now reporting to the
parliament instead of the government.
› Young people need a take in the
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission . There is
no provision which sets the exclusive
participation of young people in the way
elections are held in Zimbabwe.
25. Electoral Amendment Act:
Reflections for Relevant Action
› Need to identify how we can raise awareness on the
contents of the Electoral Amendment Act for Young
People all over Zimbabwe.
› The Electoral Amendment Act is not a Perfect Document
but young people can find ways t work with it for their
benefit as highlighted in the slides analysed above.
› The youth of Zimbabwe needs to build a working
relationship with ZEC because that’s where the ropes are ..
› We need to strategize on how we can get young people to
participate in the next election.
› Create a Youth electoral agenda in wake of the Electoral
Amendment act.
26. Conclusion
› “The principle of democracy means
much more than just holding elections
periodically; it entails the involvement
,participation, and consultation of the
people in all matters that affect them.
Democracy also signifies accountability.”
Wilfred Mhanda in Dzino: Memories of a
Freedom fighter.
