Priscilla Chigumba
The Zimbabwe Diaspora Vote Initiative was not surprised by the revelation by the Zimbabwe
Elections Commission (ZEC) Chairperson, Justice Priscilla Chigumba, that Zanu PF had
rejected recommendations by the elections body on the amendment of the Electoral Act to
ensure the holding of credible polls. We concur with Justice Chigumba’s position after Zanu
PF legislators blocked the inclusion of the diaspora vote during debate on the Electoral
Amendment Bill in Parliament.
Justice Chigumba exposed Zanu PF’s rejection of ZEC recommendations while addressing
observers in Harare on ZEC’s preparedness to run the 23 August harmonised elections. This
confirms the information provided to the Zimbabwe Diaspora Vote Initiative officials by
several Zanu PF sitting parliamentarians who confided in the officials that there was a notion
in Zanu PF that Zimbabweans in the diaspora were pro-opposition, so it would be suicidal for
Zanu PF to accept the diaspora vote when they suspect this would result in their loss in
elections if citizens living in the diaspora were allowed to vote. With that knowledge, the
Zimbabwe Diaspora Vote Initiative does not take lightly the lies by Zanu PF’s Farai Marapira
when he said Zanu PF wanted the diaspora vote, but the country lacked resources to
implement it. Marapira made these lies during debate on The Chase programme during the
run up to the 23 August elections.
The world is well aware that Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda was attacked by his
colleagues in Zanu PF when he expressed his frustration at the delays being made in
implementing the diaspora vote. Proposals to President Mnangagwa who in 2018 announced
that the Diaspora would vote in 2023, and to Parliament of Zimbabwe to amend legislation to
ensure the Diaspora voted were ignored. The Zimbabwe Elections Support Network (ZESN)
Bill which had recommendations that would ensure a free and fair election, including
providing the citizens in the diaspora the opportunity to vote, was also ignored by Minister
Ziyambi Ziyambi and Zanu PF.
As a result of the betrayal by Zanu PF regarding legislative reforms to enable the Diaspora
Vote, the Zimbabwe Diaspora Vote Initiative is encouraging people to vote against the
outgoing President and all current Zanu PF legislators who collectively sabotaged the efforts
by progressive pro-diaspora vote legislators who debated in favour of the inclusion of the
diaspora vote in legislation. It is our wish that the MPs who collectively sold out by blocking
provisions which would enable citizens living outside Zimbabwe to vote must lose in this
election, and we encourage our families, friends and businesses that benefit from diaspora
business and their employees to vote against them.
An election in the voices of legitimate citizens requesting for the amendment of legislation to
accommodate their constitutional right to vote, cannot be deemed free and fair, especially
when the powers that be decline professional advice from the sole independent body that is
responsible for running the election. We appeal to the Zimbabwe Elections Commission not
to tire in providing advice on legislative reforms essential to ensure a free and fair election.
The Zimbabwe Diaspora Vote Initiative will continue to engage with the relevant authorities
in lobbying for the diaspora vote in Zimbabwe. – Zimbabwe Diaspora Vote Initiative