By Nyasha Dube – Only twenty two female legislators will get to sit in parliament, out of seventy female candidates who contested in the just ended Zimbabwe elections. A total of 637 contestants from different political parties, as well as independent candidates. were vying for parliamentary seats.
Whilst congratulations are in order for the women who won in the political race, women’s political representation continues to be suppressed by a number of factors.
Compared with the 2018 elections where 237 out of 1648 candidates were women, this represented a decline from 14% to 11%, according to a statement released by Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (WALPE) on women’s representation in the 10th parliament.
The statement further reads:
“Following the release of the final results by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), 22 women candidates were successfully duly elected as Members of Parliament- translating into a meagre 10% women representation in National Assembly, meaning that only 30% of the women who contested won.
This figure has fallen from the 25 women (11.9%) who won elected seats in the 2018 Harmonised Elections. What is even gloomier to note is that all women candidates from smaller political parties as well as independent candidates failed to garner any seats in Parliament.
WALPE
All these figures fall short of the 30% minimum set out in the 1997 Southern African Development Community (SADC) Declaration on Gender and Development, Zimbabwe’s Constitutional provisions of gender equality found in Sections 17, 56 and 80, the UNITED Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 which seeks to promote gender equality and empower all women and girls as well as the 50% benchmark set by the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development.”
The elected MPs are:
Flora Bhuka Gokwe Nembudziya
Sithembiso Nyoni Nkayi North
Susan Matsunga Budiriro North
Barbra Rwodzi Chirumhanzi
Fadzayi Mahere Mount Pleasant
Tatenda Mavetera Chikomba West
Nicola Watson Bulawayo South
Sheila Chikomo Mwenezi South
Joanna Mamombe Harare West
Maureen Kademaunga Sunningdale
Musa Ncube Tsholotsho South
Angeline Gata Mutema- Musikavanhu
Lynette Karenyi-Kore Chikanha
Priscilla Moyo Mwenezi West
Judith Tobaiwa Kwekwe Central
Mercy Dinha Zvimba West
Marian Chombo Zvimba North
Bridget Nyandoro Southerton
Chido Sanyatwe Nyanga North
Minenhle Gumede Bulawayo North
Sichelisile Mahlangu Pumula
Biata Karimatsenga Goromonzi West
Whilst 23 August election, which extended to the 24th of August, was marred with several irregularities which further hindered women’s participation as candidates and the electorate, a notable number of women managed to cast their votes against all odds.
WALPE, which played a significant role in capacitating female contestants had the following recommendations regarding gender inclusive politics.
“Going forward, it is imperative that political parties not only incorporate clauses on gender equality into their internal documents and policies as a way of ensuring that women are adequately represented in leadership and decision-making positions, but also demonstrate a political will and sincerity to the achievement of equality.
It is against this background that WALPE recommends:
The electoral voting system must be changed from the first past the post to proportional representation (with a list in zebra format) as this guarantees gender equality. Citizens must vote for political parties not individuals as this also insulates women from political violence and vote buying.
Political parties conduct their internal candidate selection process in a fair manner that allows women, young women and women with disabilities to participate freely and fairly.
That there is a zero tolerance to all forms of political violence against women.
Political parties have gender policies that push for the advancement of women in
leadership and decision-making positions.
Political parties adopt gender equality provisions into their constitutions.
Political parties field women in constituencies were they have a fair chance of
winning.
That ZEC rejects all political party lists that do not have a zebra format going
forward.
That the Electoral Act be aligned to the Constitution with regards to gender equality.”