Sundaymail Editor
Johnson Siamachira and Sharon Tawuya
ON Wednesday, Zimbabwe goes to the polls to elect a president, parliamentarians and local government representatives.
However, many have raised concerns over the poor representation of women on the candidates list.
A number of reasons have been proffered to explain the pitifully low number of female candidates contesting this week’s elections. For example, during campaigns, women candidates have cited political violence, intimidation and abuse by their male competitors as a hindrance to their participation
”Political violence remains one of the major challenges to women’s full participation in elections,” said Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (WALPE) media and information technology officer Ms Jessie Chihota.
WALPE trains and helps women running for public office. “Women are exposed to political violence in different forms as election administrators, voters, candidates and intimate partners of male political leaders,” she continued. Since the landmark elections in 1980, fewer women have run for office as compared to men. In 2018, only four women contested the Presidential election.
This year, only one woman — United Zimbabwe Alliance leader Elisabeth Valerio — is contesting the Presidential poll, against 10 male candidates.
Only 70 female candidates are running for the 209 National Assembly seats.
This translates to 11 percent of the total number of candidates, which is lower than the 14,4 percent recorded in 2018.
The election in Gutu West constituency has been postponed following the death of a candidate who had been duly nominated.
At local government level, women aspirants constitute only 15 percent of the total number of candidates. In Zimbabwe, women have traditionally been viewed as cheerleaders for male politicians, despite females constituting the bulk of registered voters. Women constitute 52 percent of the electorate. The Government says it is worried about the poor levels of women’s participation in politics. Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi says it is Government’s wish to enhance women’s participation in politics.
“We have always wanted women engagement in politics,” said Minister Ziyambi.This is why we introduced a women’s quota to enable women to take part in the country’s politics. But since 2013 and 2018, the number of women running for office has dropped significantly, thereby having a negative bearing on our national politics.” He said this recently, while addressing diplomats and foreign election observer missions accredited to cover the August 23 polls. Women’s rights watchdogs maintain that women remain grossly under-represented in politics.
According to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), violence against women politicians heightens during campaign periods, thereby discouraging their participation.
Said ACHPR in a statement: “To protect women who bravely express their political views despite facing continuous challenges both online and offline, the Government of Zimbabwe should endeavour to strengthen its efforts in combating hate speech and harmful content, that fuel animosity and incite violence against women in politics.”
Labour, Economists and African Democrats president Ms Linda Masarira, who failed to go past the Nomination Court in her bid to join the presidential race, told New Ziana that “steep” nomination fees denied her and 57 other female parliamentary candidates from her party the opportunity to contest.
“The journey was arduous,” she said.
“I was very angry and disturbed . . . I felt rejected. I maintain that my constitutional right was violated.
“When ZEC (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission) pegged the nomination fees, it was trying to elbow out some Zimbabweans from participating in the electoral process which is, however, unconstitutional. There were people who had hope in me and were going to vote me as their president regardless of the status of my pocket.”
She said she has also been a victim of verbal abuse. Insults, name calling and body shaming become the order of the day,” she continued. I have resorted to blocking (online) all those who speak vulgarities and retrogressive issues.” Since 1980, Government has rolled out a number of policies to promote gender equity. The 2013 Constitution is considered progressive in terms of strengthening women’s rights compared to its predecessor, the Lancaster House Constitution.
It provides for gender equality and non-discrimination. It also provided for the establishment of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, and the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission, constitutional bodies geared to eradicate all forms of discrimination.
These institutions were set up to provide recourse to citizens who feel their rights have been violated. In 2019, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission commissioned a gender audit to establish levels of women representation in political parties.
The study concluded that no political party had achieved equal representation of both females and males in leadership positions.
The audit also concluded that there was lack of confidence in women’s leadership; limited support for female candidates; and political parties’ lack of commitment to implement gender equality provisions.
Zimbabwe Gender Commission chief executive officer Ms Virginia Muwanigwa said: “Women are heavily sidelined in political parties.
“Even when women rise to the top, they can be brought down by spurious charges.
“Political parties prefer men in critical positions and do not trust women to do a proper job.
“Political party governance structures, including at the highest levels, still have limited numbers of women and a higher proportion of men.”
The Zimbabwe Gender Commission wants the Electoral Act to be amended to enhance women participation.
It says ZEC should accept only party candidates’ lists that have a 50/50 gender balance.
Said Zimbabwe Gender Commission chairperson Commissioner Margaret Mukahanana-Sangarwe at a recent public meeting: “The commission would like to propose constitutional amendments that will ensure gender equity.
“We propose the reservation of seats for women, that is, 105 seats for women and 105 seats for men.
“Alternatively, we could adopt a proportional representation electoral system in the National Assembly, as we have for the Senate.”
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