Zimbabwe By-Election Highlights: Only 15 % Female Came Forward as Candidates

Only 15% of the candidates in the March 26 by-elections were female on the floor, a decline attributed to political parties' failure to field more women from their political barns, despite their commitment to do so and the fact that their constitutional amendments and election manifestos include equality for women. 

 According to reports, the March 26 by-elections ended on a positive note, with no violent events reported at any voting stations across Zimbabwe. Those who triumphed rejoiced, while those who failed sought time away from the media and the public eye to reflect on their efforts. 

However, the aggregated numbers from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) paint a gloomy picture of women's participation and the percentage of those who won in the just finished by-elections. In the parliamentary and municipal elections held on March 26, just 21.4 percent of females obtained seats in the National Assembly, compared to 78.6 percent of males, according to ZEC data. 

Despite how grim it may look, the outcome was inevitable, since all major parties nominated fewer women than males when election campaigning heated up in the days leading up to the vote. 

Since the July 2018 National Assembly elections, when 15 percent of women ran, the ratio of female candidates has stayed steady, whereas 17 percent of women ran for local government in the same year. Regardless of political parties' constitutional provisions designed at fostering gender equality by ensuring that women compete alongside men, such a decline is being witnessed. 

According to the 2019 Global Gender Gap report, eliminating the gender gap in political participation in Sub-Saharan Africa will take at least 135 years if present trends continue. Official statistics on women's representation in Zimbabwean parliament show that they made up 9% of the population at their lowest point and 22% at their highest point. This is less than the 30% requirement set by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Declaration on Gender and Development in 1997, and even less than the 50% barrier set by the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development and Millennium Development Goal 3. 

When it comes to the Zimbabwean by-election, the governing Zanu PF party, which had the most female votes among its opponents in the recently finished elections, feels there is still room for growth. 

"The by elections were available for both male and female candidates," Cde Mike Bimha, the Zanu PF national Political Commissar, stated. “We were quite giving as a party, and those who were keen to compete submitted their CVs. Four Zanu PF female candidates ran in Harare alone, with one of them winning. We will have more women voting in elections in 2023. We are working for equitable representation." 

History has disadvantaged women in Zimbabwe, and they endure structural inequalities in the political, social, and economic spheres. Colonizers historically guaranteed that women stayed in rural areas while men worked in towns or mines, perpetuating the patriarchal system and gender inequities imposed by cultural, religious, and traditional norms. 

Despite the fact that political parties have a 50:50 gender policy, there are still obstacles to overcome, such as misconceptions, such as male members of the same political party believing that women cannot lead. 

While the political scene is not favourable to women, Cde Zalerah Makari, the Zanu PF candidate for Epworth and the ruling party's lone female candidate who won, feels that opportunities exist. The political landscape in Zimbabwe is steadily shifting in favour of female engagement. Cde Zalerah Makari's triumph is a stepping stone toward Zimbabwe's tumultuous political path. 

About the Author 

I, Jozef Behr, am glad to bring you the latest political news from Zimbabwe and its neighbours. Even though I've been blogging about politics for 12 years, I still feel a feeling of creativity when I write about politics.