Harare, Zimbabwe (News of the South)-The country’s rate of progress in instituting electoral reforms is slow and half-hearted from government and has led to fears of another fiasco when the watershed 2018 elections are held.
The country has previously faced criticism for conducting elections that are clouded in shadiness with restrictions on international monitors and absence of accountability in the provision of certain fundamentals such as ballots.
As 2018 draws with ZANU PF riddled with factional fights and the economy in tatters many have been speculating the country could see a political change as opposition parties are faced with an open chance to strategize their way to victory.
However a continued absence of enough fundamental electoral reforms has again created doubts on the transparency of the exercise.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Support Network (ZESN) says since 2013, when the last general elections were held, there has been no progress in some areas.
“There has been no progress on this matter (of ballot printing). As 2018 approaches, there are slim chances that this issue will be addressed”.
“Furthermore there is no accountability and transparency with regards to where and how ballot papers are printed for the by-elections conducted since 2013”, it says.
It also cited the issue of inadequate funding of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
“Election funding must be adequate and readily available to the Commission. This enables the Commission to carry out their functions efficiently and effectively. In 2013 there was inadequate funding for the elections and the budgets for in 2016 was only US$8, 7 million which is hardly adequate to conduct voter registration alone”.
“On this front there has been no progress at all. ZEC must be allowed to fundraise, and must be allocated a larger budgetary vote through Parliament to express the country’s readiness for reform and the 2018 elections”, it says.
“There is little progress in improving the environment to be more tolerant and democratic for free expression of citizens’ wishes”.
“This has and continues to undermine credibility of elections in Zimbabwe. Progress in legal and administrative frameworks will suffer a drawback if this environmental framework is not addressed”, it says.
ZESN has since urged for more effort from Parliamentarians to push through the needed reforms to avoid farce elections come 2018.
Zimbabwe has managed to hold elections faithfully since independence in 1980 but it’s their credibility that has proved a bone of contention with various reports of violence, vote rigging and intimidation clouding the exercise.
Comments
About Author
