While exact figures are difficult to ascertain, South Africa alone is said to be home to about 1.5 million Zimbabweans, with Botswana holding about 300,000, according to unofficial estimates.
Zimbabwe’s Electoral Amendment Act prohibits Zimbabwean nationals who have spent more than 12 months out of the country to vote if they are not on official government business.
Outside the law, Zanu (PF) has been at the forefront of fighting against the Diaspora vote, arguing that the party’s stalwarts are on restricted sanctions and can therefore not travel to Europe or the US to campaign, also saying resources are too limited to sustain an outside vote.
Whether or not those living outside the country can vote, they can still influence the election process, according to the Global Forum Zimbabwe Chairperson, Solomon Chikohwero.
“We have been contributing to the economy by sending money back home but the government is not interested in our vote. We will play a major role in influencing the voting in the country because the money we are sending comes with a message regarding who our families should vote for,” he said.
Zimbabwe Exiles Forum Chairperson, Gabriel Shumba, said: “We are going to participate in the coming elections by encouraging our families back home to register as voters. We are working collectively with all the organisations in the Diaspora to ensure that all our families in Zimbabwe participate in the election,” he said.
Political analyst, John Makumbe, said Zimbabweans in the Diaspora were not only being targeted because of their large numbers, but also because of the influence they had in Zimbabwe.
“You would find that in most cases Diasporans are breadwinners and they can influence their whole families to vote for a certain political party. Even though they are not going to cast their votes, they have their families here who are sympathising with them.
“Most people are out of the country because Zanu (PF) had literally destroyed the country’s economy. Their exclusion is deliberate because Zanu (PF) knows it will not get a single vote from the people living abroad. They will vote for MDC or other political parties,” he said.
Another analyst, who recently joined the civil service as a top employee in PM Morgan Tsvangirai’s office, Alex Magaisa, concurred with Makumbe saying most people in the Diaspora were waiting for a change of government thus they were likely to have an influence on Zimbabwe’s voting patterns.
“Just like any other Zimbabwean, people in the Diaspora are waiting for a change of the government so that they can return home. Obviously people in the Diaspora will influence the voting patterns indirectly,” said Magaisa.
Post published in: News