The MDC-T says when the meetings kick off it wants to raise the Diaspora issue, which remains a hot potato. Under the current Electoral Act, government employees at diplomatic missions stationed outside Zimbabwe can use the postal vote system. But millions of ordinary Zimbabweans outside the country are barred from doing so.
The Electoral Amendment Bill does not make provision for voting by people in the Diaspora. Co-Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs, Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Douglas Mwonzora says this is why the meetings are being held, to tackle this issue amongst others. Mwonzora is also the MDC-T spokesman. He told SW Radio Africa on Tuesday that ZANU PF wants the Bill to sail through unopposed in parliament, which the MDC-T is against.
“We want to subject the Bill to a public hearing. We are hoping members of the public will raise this issue, as well as the MDC will raise this,” he said. He added that he understood that the Zimbabwe Electoral Support Network (ZESN) has already raised this issue.
“Our belief as a party is that a Zimbabwean living in South Africa is the same as a Zimbabwean living in Bulawayo. They have the same right, so they must be allowed to vote,” he explained.
Gumbo also said ZANU PF is opposed to the vote because appropriate ‘mechanisms’ have not yet been worked out
“How will we know if they are genuine Zimbabweans?” he said.
However the MDC-T dismisses ZANU PF’s stance, saying that Zimbabweans in the Diaspora were unable to vote even before the issue of sanctions existed.
Meanwhile there is also concern that the planned public hearings on the Amendment Bill have been postponed again, meaning important issues such as the Diaspora vote and others surrounding elections will not be discussed as scheduled.
On Tuesday Mwonzora explained that this is the second time the discussions have been moved and are now likely to be held around 26 September.
“They were supposed to take part at the end of July. They were affected by the prorogation of parliament, which was done by the president. They were then postponed to start yesterday, but they would not happen before the committee met,” he explained.
He said the meeting had not taken place because ZANU PF requested more time.
“ZANU PF requested that they be given up to Thursday to advise whether they are going to participate in the public hearings,” he explained, adding that the meetings would go ahead with or without ZANU PF.
He also said there were other logistical reasons, including the need to advertise the meetings.
Post published in: News
First of all… we must all agree to the norms of international relations and law that all diplomatic missions in foreign lands are not subject to the laws of the hosting states, but are independent and considered as state entities, hence immunities provided. To put it simple… The Zimbabwean Embassy in London, is considered as the State of Zimbabwe and this is why the British Police or any other organisation cannot enter that embassy for any reason whatsoever.
Governments of hosting states can only expel diplomats, but cannot enter in those embassies without invitations. The same applies to UK embassies in Zimbabwe, etcetera.
So when it comes to voting rights… anyone working for the embassy is considered as working for Zimbabwe and anyone leaving at the diplomatic missions is not subject to UK or South African laws… Hence can vote.
But if we are tax payers in foreign lands and part of that tax is send to the government of Zimbabwe, then thats a different situation and will be entitled to vote in Zimbabwe elections…
What have diasporas contributed to Zimbabwe? Most diasporas have even advocated for the sanctions Zimbabwe is enduring and now they are crying for voting rights… Even a citizen has to contribute something…
News reports in SA suggested that Zim refugees in SA send billions of Rands back to Zim. So do these people not have any voting rights, but their hard-earned cash is most welcome to help prevent Zimbabweans back home from starving? And that while Mugabe and his fellow cronies waste money like the shits coming from a cow with diarrhoea?