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Nomination courts for urban council elections
Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN)
July 31, 2003

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network notes with concern that not all wards and mayoral seats in the forthcoming urban councils elections will be contested. The nomination court that sat in various urban centres on 21 July resulted in some ruling party candidates being declared winners in most of the wards, as they faced no opposition.

ZESN notes that in Bindura, Chegutu and Rusape there will not be elections at all as no other candidates apart from ruling party, ZANU PF candidates were nominated. We also observe that in Bulawayo, Kadoma, Kariba Marondera, Ruwa, Shurugwi and Victoria Falls there will be no elections in some wards. Although the Urban Councils Act says that if only one candidate is duly nominated at the close of the nomination day in a council election, such a candidate automatically wins without a poll held, we believe this process discounts many problems that are being faced by other political players in Zimbabwe. ZESN notes that almost all elections in Zimbabwe have been preceded by violence, threats and intimidation. We also note that most of the victims have been candidates contesting against the ruling party.

ZESN notes that the violence that preceded and also took place on the nomination day itself invariably prevented other candidates from registering. We express concern that such scenarios were candidates are declared winners in violence ridden wards and constituencies means that the electorate has been denied a chance to participate freely in elections. We re-emphasise that violence has no place in any election, it only infringes and suppresses the electorate's right to legitimately exercise their voting rights. We believe that violence negates the whole rational of holding elections, which is to have different parties and individuals contests for political seats. As such we condemn strongly such subversion of the peoples will.
We once again call upon the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and the Electoral Supervisory Commission to act impartially. We further call upon the police to deal with perpetrators of violence at election times and any time in the course of an election.
We remind the government and all its electoral organs to abide by the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum's (SADC PF) norms and standards for free and fair elections. ZESN believes that a new Zimbabwe is only possible if every citizen is allowed to choose candidates of their choice in a peaceful environment and through a transparent, credible and non-partisan electoral process.

ZESN urges all voters to peacefully participate in the forthcoming local government elections and refuse to be manipulated into committing crimes against other citizens.

For more information:
Ellen Kandororo, Information Officer
Media and Communication Desk
E-mail: ellenk@zesn.org.zw

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