…as marginalised groups can’t afford new contesting fees
Brighton Chiseva
MASVINGO –Women and youth have lamented the fees gazetted by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) saying they deprive them a chance to participate in electoral processes since they are not well resourced to.
Through Statutory Instruments 143, 144 and 145 of 2022 gazetted on August 19, 2022, the commission increased fees for presidential aspirants to US$ 20 000 from US$ 1 000, US$ 1000 for members of parliament from US$ 50 and US$ 100 for senator and local authority seat among other fees.
Everjoy Chidindi who ran for Masvingo Urban’s ward 7 by-election election under LEAD party ticket said the fees are too high especially for councilors and MPs saying in some remote areas aspiring leaders may not afford and the end result will be someone from outside that community being elected.
“The fees are too high and need to be revised. If they are maintained, it then means some people who are capable of leading but with no resources will not contest and this means other people who are not from that community will come and lead though they are not well versed with the community’s needs.
However, on the presidential fees, Chidindi said the fee was okay considering that there were chancers who just found themselves on the ballot paper for wrong reasons.
Joice Mhungu, a gender advocate echoed the same sentiments saying the fees needed to be revised as they deprive able leaders especially women a chance to take part in the electoral process.
“The nomination fees are too high, women have been deprived a chance to take part in elections as most of them have no resources. They are drained during campaigns and some of them don’t even have the resources to campaign but they are expected to part ways with more money to be on the ballot paper,” said Mhungu.
Michael Taderera, a youthful candidate who contested for Masvingo Urban Parliamentary seat under ZimPF said steep nomination fees are a recipe for disaster since it will promote incompetent leaders who will find their way in simply because they have money.
“ZEC should maintain the fees that were there or else we will find incompetent people in offices. There are a lot of better leaders who do not have resources and these fees are just a slap in the youth’ faces. Where will the youth get that money when they have never worked,” said Taderera.
Women Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) Masvingo Chapter chairperson Moreblessing Manenji said there is likely to be an increase in abuse of young women as they seek to raise resources.
“We are likely to witness a rise in cases of abuse of young women who intend to participate in the elections as they seek to get the money. In these political parties, young women aspiring to be MPs or councilors will be at risk.
“Also looking at the high fees for observers, we wonder if all political parties would afford to field agents and observers especially if we look at the fact that there were some CSOs who used to participate in such. In 2018, they charged US$ 10 but now that they have raised, are we going to witness credible elections because a few observers would have observed?
“These observation fees will relegate the already behind rural communities as a few or no observers would be deployed. In the end we won’t come to a conclusion of fair elections judging on the limited number of limited observations. As women organizations, we call upon ZEC to review the fees downwards even if it means trimming their staff to ensure the funds they have won’t be strained. At the end of the day, we would label it as discrimination and why would ZEC charge in US$ bearing in mind that we earn in local currency,” she said.
In a statement, Youth Decide Zimbabwe said the nomination fees is a form of discrimination and exclusive in nature as it is against the idea of a free and fair electoral process as well as against the constitution of Zimbabwe.
“Youth Decide Zimbabwe (YDZ) have noted with stern concern, the exponential increment of nomination fees for aspiring election candidates, excessive hiking of election observer accreditation fees and glaring categorized fees for permission to obtain the voters’ roll through Statutory Instruments 143, 144 and 145 of 2022 which were gazetted on the 19th of August 2022. The most important feature of a democratic society like Zimbabwe is the conducting of free, fair, credible and regular elections. Free elections must not be exclusive in nature but made accessible to every citizen and any law or regulations which inform and guide electoral processes must guard individual rights against encroachment by any person or class.
“Before everything else, the recent move by ZEC with approval of the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, is very inconsistent to the Constitution of Zimbabwe as it promotes repression of civil and political rights of the citizens and a direct opposite to provisions of Section 57, 62 and 67. As depicted in Section 2, the Constitution is the supreme law of Zimbabwe and any law, practice, custom or conduct inconsistent with it is invalid to the extent of inconsistency,” read the statement.
The organization also said the hikes limit the number of youth and women who intend to participate as candidates in elections since access is a key pillar for youth participation and they will not afford since most of them are unemployed.
“As a youth-serving organization committed to support and promote youth participation and inclusion in policy design and decision making processes, we are so displeased by the recently gazetted astronomical charges because they will drastically minimize participation of young men and women who have the capacity to contest in elections and serve as public officials. Access is the key pillar for youth participation in political and electoral processes. Considering the peculiar bunch of socio-economic problems which are being faced by the general populace in modern day Zimbabwe, it’s clear that young people who are absorbing high levels of unemployment–with these appalling fees in place – cannot afford to participate, either as candidates or observers in all coming elections but only as voters and campaigning tools of the elite,” added the statement.
The statement also said nomination fees for prospective councilors and MPs promote patronage and perpetuation of ageism, classism and elitism, which has been maintained for long saying leadership was not supposed to be only for the rich.
YDZ further said they are suggesting public and stakeholder consultations towards the reduction of the gazetted fees, enactment of a National Youth Act which shall provide for adequate youth participation and inclusion in all facets of life.
Centre for Gender and Community Development in Zimbabwe (CGCDZ) Programmes Officer Chidaushe Mudadi said the fees for presidential is commensurate considering that it’s difficult for women to contest for presidency.
He however said fees for Senators, MPs and councilors should be reviewed downwards because most women are not well resourced to compete with men.
“For presidential aspirants, it is fine as it limits the number of people on the ballot paper and it doesn’t affect women most because the world is yet to embrace female presidents.
“However, women mostly contest in senatorial positions downwards. So there is need to review the fees to accommodate more women because most of them cannot afford to pay that thereby restricting the competition to men,” said Mudadi.
Election Resource Centre also issued a statement on the charges which they say ignores the importance of ensuring access to electoral processes by everyone as it has a bearing on the electoral participation and called for the alignment of the electoral laws to the constitution.
“ERC notes with grave concern the amendments to the fees for the nominations of candidates, accreditation of observers and to access the voters’ roll by ZEC. The fee increases do not seem to consider the importance of ensuring access to electoral processes by all citizens of Zimbabwe.
“While the electoral body is within the confines of the law in increasing presidential and parliamentary nomination fees, the increase has a bearing on electoral participation,” read part of the statement.
Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (WALPE) also raised concern over the issue saying the charges were a draw back for those who aspire to be leaders but with limited resources since the majority of Zimbabweans are living in poverty.
“As a women’s rights organization whose flagship programme is identifying, mobilizing, preparing and mentoring aspiring women leaders for positions, we are of the view that the fees are a slap in the face of those with the capacity to lead but with limited resources to pay the steep fees. The majority of women in Zimbabwe are on the receiving end of poverty and have historically been sidelined from economic opportunities. Women should not be made to choose between fending for their families and running for public office. ZEC must make sure the process is not discriminatory,” read part of the statement.
The statement also said the statutory instruments were not only deterrent to aspiring women but are also unrealistic to the obtaining economic situation.
“Commercialization of elections by ZEC is a gross violation of the right to participate in electoral processes as this will disenfranchise women, women with disabilities and young women from partaking as candidates.
“As such, WALPE is appealing to ZEC to immediately revise downwards these exorbitant fees to accommodate all aspiring leaders, uphold and preserve the right to freely participate in elections through ensuring that they are accessible to candidates through reasonable fees,” read the statement.
