By Revesai Mavetera
As the deadline for voter registration has passed for the upcoming 2023 elections, the focus has shifted to mobilizing citizens and urging them to vote. Different individuals and groups are actively involved in initiatives to promote voter participation, including the #TakaNoVoter campaign. Harare West Member of Parliament, Honourable Joanna Mamombe, is leading efforts in her constituency by urging women to make use of their voting power.
Honourable Mamombe mentioned that women make up the largest percentage of eligible voters in Zimbabwe. She emphasized that women are disproportionately affected by economic difficulties and encouraged them to vote for the sake of their children’s future. She expressed the importance of every woman’s voice being heard and called upon all women to participate in the electoral process.
In a similar vein, Project Vote 263, an NGO that previously provided transportation for citizens to register to vote, has now shifted its focus towards mobilizing registered voters for the upcoming elections. Their aim is to ensure that all eligible voters exercise their democratic right and cast their votes.
Meanwhile, in Bulilima, Bekezela Maplanka, an official from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), is leaving no stone unturned in her efforts to mobilize voters. She recently spent time in Ward 15, Vulindlela, Bulilima, Plumtree, rallying the elderly to vote for the CCC. Maplanka emphasized the need for the elderly not to be deceived again by the ZANU-PF government, which they hold responsible for the decline of their pensions and their current struggles. Together, they sang a popular song of President Nelson Chamisa, “Masibambaneni” (Let’s unite, with one spirit and build the nation), symbolizing unity and hope for change.
The focus of the 2023 elections in Zimbabwe is centered around the economy and how a future government can restore prosperity to the nation. The main contenders include Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has led the ZANU-PF government and has faced allegations of corruption and self-enrichment, as detailed in the AL Jazeera Gold Mafia documentaries. Under Mnangagwa’s leadership, the healthcare and education sectors have deteriorated, with children unable to attend school and unemployment rates exceeding 90%.
In contrast, the CCC party, led by the young President Nelson Chamisa, promises to revive the economy by leveraging the country’s mineral resources and attracting foreign investment for job creation. Chamisa also plans to reopen industries that had previously closed due to the shortcomings of the current government.
The ongoing countrywide mobilization efforts aim to encourage citizens to vote in large numbers and select the candidates they believe will lead the country effectively for the next five years.
