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Community News Bulletin - October-November 2012
Centre for Community Development in Zimbabwe (CCDZ)
December 06, 2012

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More than 300 Marondera residents attend CCDZ Public Meeting on "Conditions for Peaceful Referendum & Elections"

The Centre for Community Development in Zimbabwe (CCDZ) held a public meeting on the Minimum Conditions for Free and Fair Elections at Dombotombo Hall in Marondera on the 15th of November 2012. The meeting which attracted more than three hundred (300) participants from various sectors including political parties, women, youth, trade unions and faith based organisations provided residents of Marondera with critical civic education on the conditions necessary for ensuring a 'Peaceful, Free and Fair Referendum & Election.'

The panelists for the public meeting were drawn from CCDZ, Zimbabwe Democracy Institute (ZDI), a local think-tank and research group, Heal Zimbabwe Trust and the Media Centre. CCDZ Director, Phillip Pasirayi urged all stakeholders to a positive role in ensuring that the forthcoming Constitutional referendum and elections meet the required standards for free and fair elections.

"We have pronounced ourselves as Civil Society on the kind of legal and institutional framework under which the next elections should be conducted", said Pasirayi. "This framework must address the problems associated with compilation of the voter's register and clean up the register to get rid of ghost voters; the independence of the electoral management body and issues of political violence", he added.

Pedzisayi Ruhanya from ZDI took time to analyse the role of the media in promoting free and fair elections. He analysed it from an administrative and environmental view. On administration he emphasised that the candidates for elections should have equal media space in both state and independent media. He lambasted the current situation whereby only one political has airplay on the national broadcaster whilst other political parties are portrayed negatively. He stated that one main characteristic of an election is choice, contrary to the imposition of some candidates on people.

The Media Centre Director, Earnest Mudzengi stated that soldiers should not dabble in politics. He urged the Marondera residents to resist being used as cannon fodder in perpetrating violence. He also said that the prime-minister and president drink tea together and asked why this cannot happen at community level.He urged people to unite and work together as they will be together forever in their communities, unlike politicians who come and go. He urged the Marondera residents to expose all forms of violence. In his conclusion he buttressed the fact that the electoral statutes which are now in place and the constitution are not enough to ensure there is democracy in the country,' the people have to fight for its implementation and against selective application of law', he said.

CCDZ Senior Programs Officer, Tinashe Chatira explained the important task that women have in the upcoming Referendum and Elections. Chatira challenged women to not only register to vote, but to vie for political office. Chatira told the women to take advantage of amendments that have been made in the Electoral Act which promote gender equality and attempt to address factors which hinder women's political participation such as violence. Women were also urged to be active participants, not spectators. They were told to take initiatives to create community based strategies to promote peace and to play their role in all conflict prevention and management initiatives.

Several critical issues were raised by the participants at the public meeting. One female Councillor spoke against the barriers that women faced during the 2008 harmonized elections. She challenged political parties, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and civil society to intensify their advocacy for these barriers to be removed in the upcoming elections. Other participants sought clarification over what measures will be put in place to ensure that all political parties are given fair opportunities to campaign freely and fairly. Concern was also raised over the media which was said to be failing to create a level playing field for all political parties ahead of the Referendum and Elections. Participants also suggested that CCDZ should engage top level political leadership and the police to ensure that the law is not applied selectively.

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