Bungling Characterises Beginning of Voter Registration Exercise

By Wisdom Mumera The ongoing voter registration exercise begun by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) on Monday has been characterised by inefficiencies, shoddy service and myriad bungles that may undermine the project according to an election watchdog. The Election Resource Center (ERC) says the exercise, which follows adoption of Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) system as…

Read More

Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of democratic societies

By Byron Mutingwende Indeed, free and fair elections are the cornerstone of democratic societies. In the same spirit, ahead of the 2018 elections in Zimbabwe, the Government of Japan, through the Project for Supporting Fair and Transparent Elections is contributing USD 1 million to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Capacity Building (ZIM-ECO) initiative implemented by the…

Read More

Mobile registration information inadequate: ZESN

By Byron Mutingwende The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has said that the time to educate and sensitise citizens about the commencement of the mobile registration exercise is inadequate. “The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) notes an article published by the ZBC News on the mobile registration of Zimbabwean citizens by the Registrar General (RG)…

Read More

Mugabe University Grant: A Case of Misplaced Priorities: CiZC

By Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) is alarmed and worried at the wanton abuse of public funds following the award of close to US$1bn to President Mugabe to build a private university.  The award follows an approval by cabinet to build a US$1 billion university in Mashonaland Central Province through a…

Read More

Implement human rights treaties and obligations: Government urged

By Byron Mutingwende The government has been urged to implement various human rights treaty obligations it has ratified in order to promote peace and democracy. This emerged at a capacity building workshop held in Harare on Monday 31 July 2017 where government representatives reinforced Zimbabwe’s commitment to implement, monitor and report on the country’s human…

Read More

Zimbabwe’s unending impasse: a time to sit on the table?

By Byron Mutingwende The Southern African Political Economy Series Trust (Sapes) and Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) Conference on developing a dialogue for reform and reconstruction in Zimbabwe has pitted two major contending paradigms in a bid to resuscitate the economy. On one side, the Minister of Finance, Patrick Chinamasa and his government colleagues at…

Read More

Zimbabwe’s non-aligned political parties in 2018 electoral pact

By Wallace Mawire Marginalised Zimbabwe’s parties to contest in the forthcoming 2018 watershed elections have signed an MOU (PACT) in a bid to work together as a collaborative force to dislodge the ZANU (PF) ruling party. The memorandum of understanding signed this Saturday is known as the Zimbabwe Non-Aligned Political Parties (ZINAPP). According to ZINAPP the Zimbabwean…

Read More

Not too young to run for the 2018 General elections

By Ashton Bumhira   Zimbabwean youth constitute the largest constituency of over 60% of the population but continue be socially, politically, and economically marginalized.  It is worrisome how the youth have been schemed out and marginalized from governance. The present administration’s insensitiveness to youth’s inclusiveness in governance is a point of worry and needs urgent attention. In…

Read More

Zimbabwe moves towards ratification of 1954 Hague Convention

By Byron Mutingwende   Zimbabwe is moving towards the ratification of the two protocols of the 1954 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in the event of armed conflict, it has emerged.   Speaking at a stakeholders’ consultative workshop in Harare recently, Damir Dijakovic, the Regional Cultural Advisor of the United Nations, Educational, Scientific…

Read More

Transformation must be the coalition agenda: Tendai Biti

By PDP Communication Department   The democratic contingent must put Zimbabwe first by coming together to forge a formidable coalition against dictatorship, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President Tendai Biti has said. Speaking at an Intra-Party Provincial forum of the Coalition of Democrats (CODE) over the weekend, the President hailed the political parties who took the…

Read More

ZEC urged to protect assisted voters

By Byron Mutingwende The election management body, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), must come up with stringent measures that deter the abuse of assisted voting, poll watchdog the Election Resource Centre (ERC) said on Wednesday. In the 2013 election, disproportionately large numbers of voters were assisted to vote. “It is imperative that effective measures are…

Read More

CiZC condemn resurgence of xenophobia in SA

By Byron Mutingwende   The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) has condemned in the strongest terms, escalating cases of violent attacks targeted at foreign nationals living in South Africa.   In Pretoria and Johannesburg, a number of foreign nationals, including Zimbabweans, have suffered physical and psychological harm. CiZC said that xenophobia defeats the spirit and…

Read More

Government has no will to institute electoral reforms: CSOs

By Byron Mutingwende   Civil society organisations (CSOs) have expressed concern over the half-hearted attempts and lack of political will to reform the laws and institutions governing the conduct of elections in Zimbabwe.   This emerged at an All Stakeholders Conference coordinated by the Zimbabwe Elections Support Network (ZESN) in Bulawayo early this week to…

Read More

ERC raps violence as UPR examines Zimbabwe’s human rights record

By Byron Mutingwende and Moses Chibaya   Zimbabwe’s human right record comes under international spotlight as the Election Resouce Centre has said that it was disturbed by the violent interruption of Parliament activities by unruly elements of society.   Scores of suspected Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU PF) youths and women in Mutare,…

Read More

Political dynamics, appointments and rule of law under spotlight

By Byron Mutingwende   The Zimbabwe Manpower Development (ZIMDEF) scandal brought to the spotlight the political dynamics, appointments and issues of transparency and accountability in public finance management in far as dealing with corruption is concerned.   Speaking at a policy dialogue dubbed “The Political Economy of Corruption and the Battle for Accountability in Zimbabwe:…

Read More

ZPP REPORT ON By ELECTIONS

By Zimbabwe Peace Project Hurungwe West has been a hot bed of violence since the announcement of the by elections.The violence has mainly targeted supporters of former legislator and independent candidate Temba Mliswa. The violence has been perpetrated with impunity. Those suspected of backing Mliswa who include traditional leaders, his election campaign team, workers at…

Read More

Vendors Speak Out

By Kudzayi Zvinavshe The National Vendors Union Zimbabwe (NVUZ) has condemned the 7 day ultimatum to vendors by Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Dr. Ignatius Chombo describing the ultimatum as ‘cruel, inhumane and barbaric’. Speaking at a press conference held today, NVUZ National Director, Samuel Wadzai said, “Dr Chombo must be…

Read More