Bulawayo—The recent election in Zimbabwe has shed light on the deep-seated gender disparities within the country’s political landscape. Despite women constituting more than half of the 6.5 million electorates, they were woefully underrepresented in both political parties and government positions.
Zimbabwe held its presidential, parliamentary, and local municipality elections on August 23 and 24, 2023. According to the Election Resource Centre, out of the 210 seats in the National Assembly, only 22 women were elected, despite 70 women competing against 637 male candidates.
This decline in the number of women contesting for National Assembly seats is concerning. In the previous election held in 2018, women made up 14 percent of the candidates. However, in the 2023 election, this figure dropped to a mere 11 percent.
The representation of women in the National Assembly is dismally low. Only 10 percent of the elected Members of Parliament are women, which means that only 30 percent of the women who contested were successful, as reported by the Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (WALPE). This number is a decline from the 25 women (11.9 percent) who won seats in the 2018 elections.
Sitabile Dewa, the executive director of WALPE, attributes this lack of gender equality in politics to a lack of political will among leaders. She highlights that the political environment in Zimbabwe is fraught with violence, patriarchy, fear, harassment, and marginalization of women in electoral processes—all of which hinder women’s progress in leadership positions across all levels of government.
Dewa emphasizes the need for political party leaders to genuinely uphold and promote gender equality by creating a level playing field for women, young women, and women with disabilities to actively participate as candidates and voters.
The experiences of women in politics further highlight the challenges they face. A recent video went viral, capturing a Zanu PF campaigner using derogatory language against Judith Tobaiwa, a female candidate for Kwekwe Central constituency. Additionally, the high nomination fees for aspiring candidates, set by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, proved to be a significant barrier for many women.
In the 2023 general polls, presidential candidates had to pay USD 20,000, while parliamentary and council candidates had to pay USD 1,000 and USD 100, respectively. In comparison, during the 2018 elections, presidential candidates paid USD 1,000, and legislators paid USD 50.
The disparity in political representation goes beyond the main political parties. Independent candidates and those from smaller parties struggled to secure seats in the National Assembly. These figures fall short of the 30 percent minimum threshold set by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Declaration on Gender and Development, Zimbabwe’s Constitution, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5, which aims to promote gender equality and empower women and girls.
During the election process, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission announced 11 presidential candidates, none of whom were women. Two female presidential candidates, Elisabeth Valerio of the United Zimbabwe Alliance (UZA) and Linda Masarira of the opposition party Labour, Economists and African Democrats (LEAD), faced obstacles regarding late payment of nomination fees. While Valerio’s case resulted in her nomination papers being accepted, Masarira lost the case.
The controversially disputed election resulted in Emmerson Mnangagwa, the incumbent from Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu PF), being declared the winner with 52.6 percent of the vote. His rival, Nelson Chamisa of Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), received 44 percent. The opposition has rejected the election results, citing voter intimidation, delayed ballot papers in opposition strongholds, and alleged rigging by the electoral body in favor of Zanu PF.
Mnangagwa’s appointment of cabinet ministers also highlights the prevailing gender gap. Out of the 26 positions, only six were given to women, representing a mere 23 percent.
Linda Masarira emphasizes that achieving the constitutional goal of a 50/50 gender balance in Zimbabwe will be a daunting task. She emphasizes the need for a Gender Equality Act to operationalize the Constitution fully and highlights the selective application of the Constitution by political parties and the government.
The reappointment of Kembo Mohadi, who was forced to resign in 2021 following a sex scandal, as Mnangagwa’s deputy raises concerns about the government’s commitment to women’s welfare. Alleged leaked recordings of Mohadi soliciting sex from married subordinates have not resulted in any charges, with Mohadi claiming that he was a victim of a political plot.
The need for a comprehensive overhaul of the current electoral system is evident to promote gender equality in politics, according to Dewa. The electoral voting system should transition from a first-past-the-post model to proportional representation, which guarantees gender equality. Furthermore, citizens should vote for political parties rather than individuals to mitigate political violence and vote-buying.
The situation in Zimbabwe calls for immediate action to bridge the gender gap in politics. Women’s rights and gender equality must be prioritized to create a more inclusive, representative democracy that benefits all citizens.
