Zim’s shrinking democratic space: Women bear the brunt

Victor Sibanda

Zimbabwe’s recent by-elections painted a grim picture of the state of democracy, particularly for women. While a glimmer of hope flickered with the increased deployment of female electoral officers, the alarming decline in women’s participation as candidates is a cause for deep concern.

The Electoral Resource Centre (ERC), a beacon of independent observation in Zimbabwe’s often-murky political landscape, sounded the alarm through programs officer Sandra Musakasa during an online discussion hosted by Community Podium. Their findings reveal a shocking drop in female representation, from 12.9% in December 2023 to a mere 6% in the recent by-elections.

The reasons behind this decline are multifaceted and deeply concerning. The ERC points to a lack of political will, not just from the government but also from political parties and the independent commission tasked with upholding democracy. This systemic failure creates an environment hostile to women’s participation.

“There is lack of political will by the Government, political parties, independent commissions that support democracy such as ZEC, Zimbabwe Gender Commission, NPRC and ZHRC to facilitate, spearhead and provide oversight towards the achievement of gender equality and inclusion in Zimbabwe. Political parties have proved to lack sincerity in deliberately creating a conducive environment for women, youth and PWDs to actively, freely and fully take part in leadership and decision making processes,” said Musakasa.

Furthermore, rampant political violence and online harassment target women aspiring to leadership roles. The chilling examples of prominent women like Joana Mamombe and Fadzayi Mahere serve as a stark reminder of the heavy price women pay for daring to challenge the status quo.

“Political violence against women has been rampant, cases of both covert and overt political violence are also responsible for the dwindling number of women showing up for leadership. Women are tortured, raped, assaulted, arbitrarily arrested and forced to leave their homes for merely showing interest to take up leadership positions or for being electoral administrators or partners of male politicians,” said Masakasa.

She highlighted that the media landscape further exacerbates the problem. Biased reporting, with state-controlled media favoring the ruling party and private media focusing on the opposition, marginalizes women’s voices. This lack of balanced and positive coverage discourages women from entering the political arena.

While quotas have shown some success in increasing women’s presence in parliament, the high nomination fees act as a crippling barrier. This financial hurdle disproportionately affects women, stifling their ambitions and further skewing the playing field.

The erosion of public trust in the electoral system adds another layer of complexity. The chaotic handling of the 2023 harmonized elections and the politically motivated recalls have left Zimbabweans disillusioned and disengaged. This low voter turnout, particularly among women, is a symptom of a deeper malaise that needs urgent attention.

“ZEC categorically stated that they were prepared to hold elections in a transparent and credible manner but when the polling day arrived what happened? We saw the delivery of ballot papers more than 8 hours after the poll begins across many urban areas.  To that end,  the voting process was chaotic and spilled into the next day. To that end, the 2023 elections were criticized by both regional,  domestic and international observer missions as having failed to pass the litmus test. This erodes confidence among the public,” added Musakasa.

The ERC’s report is not merely a compilation of observations; it’s a call to action. Their persistent advocacy, raising issues like the omitted youth quota and pushing for legal amendments, demonstrates their commitment to a more inclusive and equitable electoral system.