The Zimbabwe council of Churches (ZCC) in solidarity with the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations has called for the people of Zimbabwe to unite and promote peace in the aftermath of the 2018 harmonised elections. Addressing the press yesterday (Friday 3 August 2018), Rev. Dr Kenneth Mtata, the General Secretary of Zimbabwe Council of Churches …
By Wisdom Mumera Special Advisor to the President, Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa is facing a solitary walk down the path into the political sunset after a debilitating loss in the Norton legislative election held on Monday. The war veteran suffered a humiliating loss to incumbent and independent legislator Temba Mliswa coming third behind MDC Alliance candidate…
Following the the ongoing announcement of House of Assembly results, the Election Resource Centre (ERC) has urged the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to uphold transparency, accountability and verifiability. “Full compliance with these principles and standards will go a long way in managing some of the tensions that are already threatening the peace that has broadly…
Those living in poverty and suffering inequalities and injustices should be at the centre of policies and development, the Action Aid Zimbabwe (AAZ)’s Social Justice Manifesto reveals. “The Social Justice Manifesto we are launching today (Sunday 29 July 2018) is a product of ActionAid Zimbabwe’s two (2) decades of work with people living in poverty…
By Byron Mutingwende Monday the 30th of July 2018 will witness the re-election of the ever hardworking Member of the National Assembly for Kuwadzana Constituency Honourable Betty Nhambu-Kaseke. Honourable Nhambu-Kaseke is not only a motherly figure but a philanthropist, devoted Christian and a multiple award winning female MP in Harare Province out of…
By Byron Mutingwende The people of Norton have said their vote is on Temba Peter “Bhuru” Mliswa because he has brought development on their doorsteps. Speaking at his mega rally at Kosheni Ground in Katanga that has seen thousands of residents of Norton defying calls by the two main political parties of ZANU…
The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has noted with concern the dismissal of an application seeking to compel the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to print braille ballot papers for visually impaired voters by the High Court of Zimbabwe. “The Constitution of Zimbabwe upholds the rights of persons with disabilities including in electoral processes. Section 155 of the Constitution…
Regional solidarity platform, the Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum (ZSF) which is based in South Africa, has warned the relatively peaceful environment ahead of the 2018 harmonised elections in the country could be a “shallow cover” for democratic deficits. The ZSF is made of South African trade unions, church groups and civil society organisations, eminent academics and…
Dumisani O Nkomo Zimbabwe is for the first time experiencing an interesting phenomenon of an incredible number of candidates especially for the Presidential and House of Assembly elections. It is critical for the electorate to make informed decisions about the kind of leaders that they elect. It has been quite a comic spectacle to witness…
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has deployed election monitors in all parts of the country, with effect from 23 July to 6 August 2018, to monitor the Harmonised Elections scheduled for 30 July 2018 as well as the post-election period. In terms of section 243 (c) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, one of the…
The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has welcomed the decision by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to review the positioning of voting booths ahead of the 30 July 2018 harmonised elections by reverting back to the set up in previous elections. The proposed positioning of the voting booths which would have seen voters casting their ballots in…
The Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) has warned and deplored the escalated hate speech and inflammatory language against women ahead of the July 30 election. The ZGC made the call during a dialogue meeting with editors and expressed concern over the the concerted verbal attacks by political and other players on women as voters, candidates…
The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has completed its audit of the 2018 Voters’ Roll as provided by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) on the 18th of June 2018. I said auditing of the 2018 Voters Roll is particularly important given the concerns raised about the 2013 Preliminary Voters Roll. ZESN’s analysis of the 2013…
The Prime Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Mr Tufan Erhürman said that Turkish Cypriot people wish to reach a fair and permanent solution and have been struggling for years to be included in the international community. Erhürman said that lifting of isolations will make the Turkish Cypriots more powerful and contribute…
Justice Joseph Mafusire handed down his written judgment for the original #SafeSchools case, the Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) v ZANU PF & Minister of Education HC 263/18. It is a bold judgment upholding the rights of children, teachers and schools. Here are some quotations from the judgment: “I was satisfied that the…
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) ha expressed dismay over the rise in cases of political violence across the country ahead of the 2018 elections. On Monday, 16 July 2018, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) reported that a leader of an MDC Alliance’s campaign team in Mandara, Harare East, Tarisai Musurudzwa, was attacked by soldiers…
By Byron Mutingwende Development runs through the nerves of Temba “Bhuru” Mliswa, the Member of the House of Assembly for Norton whose great works are positively impacting the generality of people in the constituency. The legislator, who uses yellow as his campaign colour, upped his drive to retain the seat beginning this July…
By Byron Mutingwende As if un-procedurally firing her from her position as Chamber Secretary was not enough, the Chitungwiza Municipality is adding insult to injury to Priccilar Vengesai by denying her rightful dues on the basis of gender. Vengesai joined Chitungwiza Municipality in January 2013 as a Chamber Secretary. She is a registered…
How important is ethnicity in the election? Zimbabwe’s political landscape as largely been devoid from backing on grounds of ethnic group, however, there is always a tendency to believe that, to win a presidential race a candidate needs to forge ethnic alliances to get a majority of that vote. In other words, there is always…
By Byron Mutingwende Residents of Galloway Residential area of Norton have vowed to rally behind the leadership of the current Member of the House of Assembly for the area Hon Temba Mliswa and aspiring independent councillor Dr Godfrey Mugaviri. “Before the coming in of Hon Temba Mliswa as MP for Norton, we were…
By Harry Ruka Mazhindu The two main political parties ruling ZANU-PF and MDC Alliance a few weeks ago released their manifestos after months of agonising over what to put, what to prioritise and what to leave. But do manifestos matter anymore? In an era of broken promises and an electorate that count. Here are three…
By Byron Mutingwende In a typical fashion reminiscent of the Exodus of Israelites from the oppressive Egypt to Canaan, Kenneth Shupikai Musanhi, the Member of the House of Assembly for Bindura North Constituency has embarked on a number of projects to uplift the lives of the people in the area. Born on the…
By Byron Mutingwende The social media has revolutionised communication and has become a cheaper way for young people to access information. This emerged at the campaign “Budding Voices Debates and Dialogue Series” being run by the Youth Empowerment and Transformation Trust (YETT) on Friday 6 July 2018. Media personality, Acie Lumumba said…
“These elections are a critical test of Zimbabwe’s reform process. Given the context of past elections, great efforts need to be made to ensure public and political confidence in the 2018 polls,” stated Elmar Brok, Chief Observer of the EU Election Observation Mission, in a press conference in Harare on Friday. Mr. Brok added: “Necessary…
The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) deployed long term observers (LTOs) to observe the Nomination Court proceedings in all 10 provinces across the country and came up with a cocktail of recommendations. The LTOs observed proceedings in a total of 116 Nomination Courts including Ward level, national assembly and the presidential nomination courts across…
THE Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) has welcomed the statement made by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) on Wednesday, July 4, 2018 in which the military clarified that it will not interfere with the 2018 harmonised election. ZimRights welcomed the pronouncement by the ZDF’s director of public relations, Overson Mugwisi, that the army will uphold…
By Byron Mutingwende In 2008, the Bindura South Constituency resembled a cemetery due to the grinding poverty brought about by hyperinflation. It is that time when Remigious Matangira, the current Member of the House of Assembly for the area began his philanthropic work by spearheading development initiatives. “Bindura became my permanent home in…
The Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) today petitioned the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to facilitate the voting of teachers who are going to be displaced from their polling stations as they attend to ZEC business. Most teachers in rural schools who were engaged as polling officers for the 30th of July 2018 polls ,were…
Zimbabwe is ready for the fulfilment of the message of change that we have been preaching for a long time, MDC President Advocate Nelson Chamisa has said. “There is no doubt in my mind that the people of Zimbabwe are ready to give us the mandate to lead the country to prosperity. We are ready…
By Dumisani O. Nkomo In last week’s instalment, I analysed the chances of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Nelson Chamisa’s prospects in the 30 July Presidential race. In this instalment I will focus on the chances of four other contenders for the presidency but more importantly assess the extent to which they will have an impact…
“Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa says he loves ZANU (PF) more than anything else but as a fellow party member I think the Advisor to President Mnangagwa should publicly apologise if he should entertain any hopes of coming back to represent us in the House of Assembly for Norton,” said Masimba Chikukwa, a Norton resident. “The…
The United Nations (UN) has welcomed the High Court’s decision to protect children from being forced to attend political rallies. The ruling from Zimbabwe’s High Court, announced on 28 June 2018, states that school children must not be forced to attend political rallies and that political parties must not be allowed to use school equipment,…
By Byron Mutingwende The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) has urged politicians to reach out to to their supporters and educate them that they are all bound by the pledge they signed. The call comes amid isolated reports of intra and inter-party violence ahead of the elections scheduled for 30 July 2018. “There is…
THE opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has hauled President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his ruling ZANU PF party to court in the hunt for an order compelling them not to engage in electoral malpractices by seeking to procure the support or assistance of traditional leaders and making them to act in a partisan manner or…
The gazetting of the National Assembly Candidates by Direct Election on the 22nd of June, 2018 and the candidates for Local Authorities is indicative of a political party system that persistently and systematically erodes women’s right to equal representation as evidenced by the appallingly low numbers of women being fielded by political parties in this July…
The Malawian authorities must urgently overhaul the criminal justice system to protect people with albinism, who face the persistent threat of being killed for their body parts in a country where the vast majority of these horrific crimes remain unresolved and unpunished, Amnesty International said today. Since November 2014, the number of reported crimes against…
Justice Mafusire today ruled that the ZANU PF Party should stop abusing learners, teachers and school property in pursuit of private political interests. The matter was heard at Masvingo High Court chambers. The Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) was applicant being ably represented by Doug Coltart of Mtetwa and Nyambirai law firm. Veritas…
By Harry Ruka Mazhindu How Zimbabweans are going to vote is not clear. But the result will matter both to the future of their country and the region. A casual visitor to Harare will notice that Zimbabwe is holding a general election on 30 July. Along the main streets and in the central Business district…
The United Nations has welcomed the move by the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) of bringing together the principals of the political parties to pledge for peace ahead of the election on 30 July 2018. Bishow Parajuli, the UN Resident Coordinator said the move embeds the principles of peace as a constitutional value. The…
By Byron Mutingwende “We are appalled by the construction of a filling station on a wetland in Kambuzuma. The construction further compromises water delivery and is a clear violation of our environmental rights,” fumed Joseph Kahari, the Secretary for Governance of the Blue Agenda Trust. The Parliament of Zimbabwe has produced a report…
Harare – 25 June 2018 – The Election Resource Centre (ERC), in collaboration with its partners, is conducting an independent audit of the “Final Voters’ Roll” that will be used for the 2018 Harmonised Elections. This follows release of the “Final Voters’ Roll” by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), on 15 June 2018, in a secure…
By Davison Kaiyo While the “Zimbabwe is open for business” mantra is good in attracting foreign investors the government of Zimbabwe need to step up efforts to curtail illicit financial flows (IFFs) by enforcing anti avoidance provisions especially towards aggressive tax planning structures in line with the current transfer-pricing framework that was introduced into the…
By Farai Chirimumimba Although he arrived well after 4pm which is rather late to begin addressing a rally, in a show of defiance or probably a show of “force”, Vice-President General Constantino Chiwenga (Rtd) was composed and told a gathering at Chibuku Stadium in Chitungwiza (about 27 kilometres south of Harare) on Sunday that what…
Following an invitation by the Zimbabwean authorities, the European Union has deployed an Election Observation Mission (EOM) to Zimbabwe to observe the harmonised elections, scheduled for 30 July 2018. This is a further demonstration of the European Union’s long-term commitment to support credible, transparent and inclusive elections worldwide. Federica Mogherini, High Representative for Foreign Affairs…
By Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights The 2013 Constitution provides for the overall framework for the conduct of elections in Zimbabwe, which must be managed by an independent Zimbabwe Election Commission that is subject to the Constitution and the other laws. The Constitution also provides for political rights – the right to vote and the…
