Election period-a hard time for PWDS

Mxolisi Ngwenya

In Zimbabwe, disability issues are mostly side-lined in national discourses and civic processes. Most persons with disabilities are deprived of voting and are therefore not fully represented in governance.

To vote and choose a candidate of your choice is a constitutional right which can only be exercised by citizens who meet the prescribed minimum requirements, that include to be above the age of 18, be a Zimbabwean nationality, be a registered voter with an identity document, be it an ID or passport.

If one meets the above requirements, there are qualified to be voters despite race, ethnicity, colour, literacy, and disability.

However, the modalities meant to ensure that people with disabilities participate in politics, attend rallies, vote and  be part of decision-making processes, are arguably not guaranteed.

According to the 2018 Post Election Gender Survey report, the country’s electoral body Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) noted a myriad of factors that hinder people with disabilities from participating in electoral processes.

The different barriers that hinder the equal participation of persons with disabilities in society and voting include communication barriers, for the deaf, and this significantly limits access to information. 

The electoral material is unfriendly to those with disability such as visual impairment as they must rely on other people to assist them cast their votes, which is a violation of their rights and undermines the secrecy and certainty of their vote.

“I was born visually impaired in 1991. In my life, I have voted two times in 2013 and 2018. As 2023 harmonised elections are around the corner, I will be voting again. There were people who have been helping me out to properly vote, but I don’t know if those who have been assisting me were casting the vote where I wanted.

I wish that this time as we vote, a Braille (tactile code enabling blind and visually impaired people to read and write) will be available so I can vote on my own and cast my vote secretly,” said Mthulisi Dube from Iminyela suburb in Bulawayo.

However, Parliament is on record that a braille ballot will not be possible in 2023. It hinted on introducing the ballot in 2028.

Physical barriers may also limit access to buildings where voting takes place, therefore depriving PWDs of their right to cast votes for their preferred candidates.

Political campaigns have also largely excluded PWDs as most of them are held at venues that are inaccessible for PWDs. 

“I suffer from spastic quadriplegia. I literally can’t walk. Recently, there was a rally in Nkayi that I wanted to attend as and I wanted to hear what President Emmerson Mnangagwa and local candidates have for us on their manifesto.

I could not attend because there was no one to take me there. For a fact, I know that I was going to struggle to manoeuvre in the crowd  to go to the toilet due to my condition.

Even on the day of voting, I will struggle to cast my vote at Hadani Primary school because they do not have structural facilities that accommodate my disability and the use of a wheelchair,” said Thabani Mangeni from Ezinyangeni in rural in Nkayi.

According to ZIMSTAT, people with disability make up 9.2% of”the population in Zimbabwe. Despite being a significant part of the population, PWDs had no representation in parliament until 2013 when a constitutional provision mandated that two seats be reserved for one male and one female senator representing PWDs in parliament.

Constitutionally, people with disabilities have the right to stand for elections and participate in politics. Section 67 guarantees the right of every Zimbabwean to freely participate in all political processes either as a contesting candidate in elections or as a voter.

Section 56(3) of the Constitution states that, “Every person has the right not to be treated in an unfairly discriminatory manner on such grounds as their nationality, race, colour, tribe, place of birth, ethnic or social origin, language, class, religious belief, political affiliation, opinion, custom, culture, sex, gender, marital status, age, pregnancy, disability or economic or social status.”

It is important to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in political parties and ensure that they have equal opportunities to be nominated as candidates. However, most political parties are not fielding candidates with disabilities, which is concerning.

According to Citizen’s Coalition for Change (CCC) member Sukoluhle Mhlanga, who is a PWD  vying to be councillor for Ward 15, said it is scary and getting increasingly difficult for people with disabilities to break into political positions largely due to the violence associated with electoral processes in Zimbabwe.

She believes that despite her condition, she is determined to win the seat and be the voice of the voiceless. 

“Violence often rears its ugly head and when it erupts, it becomes hard for the disabled to move from where there is chaos to a safer place.

As we head for elections, I know that those with disabilities have a challenge with mobility. The local transport system is not disability-friendly, and some polling stations won’t be accessible as they don’t accommodate those using wheelchairs.

“As I am running for council in Cowdray Park, I am hopeful that people will vote for me  and I promise to be their voice and of importance  for persons with disabilities.

Being the only PWD candidate in the whole of Bulawayo is a clear sign that anything is possible and if I win, I will be a good example to those like me who may want to pursue leadership positions,” said Mhlanga.

Electoral experts have been calling for relevant authorities to ensure that people with disabilities have equal opportunities to participate in the electoral process and exercise their right to vote. 

This requires addressing barriers to accessibility, providing voter education and awareness, promoting inclusive voter registration, facilitating representation and participation,  enacting disability-inclusive electoral laws and policies.