Thousands of Zimbabweans have been disfranchised by the current electoral legislation enacted by Zanu (PF).
The country is due for a referendum next year after the completion of a constitution that is in the drafting stages. This will be followed by elections.
“That is why we are embarking on the electoral amendment bill, so as to ensure that all Zimbabweans, regardless to descent, can participate in elections,” said MDC spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora in an interview.
Many thousands of Zimbabweans were born to parents originating from Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia who came to this country during Federation times (1957 onwards) when migrant workers were encouraged to come and work in mines and on farms.
Today they cannot vote. “I failed to register during the past elections and am asking the government to help us be recognized as Zimbabweans and remove the alien on our national registration papers,” said Eunice John from Murewa.
The centralized system of documentation makes it nigh impossible for people from outside Harare to renounce their foreign status.
“The situation is indeed worrying that people fail to partake in events that affect their lives, we need to move forward as a country so as to embrace dual citizenship and also allow people to vote we hope that this will be reflected in the Electoral Act,” said the chairman of the Parliamentary Portfolio committee on Home Affairs and Defence, Paul Madzore.
One of the contentious issues during the constitution outreach meetings was the issue of dual citizenship.
Post published in: News