Dr Phillan Zamchiya

By Dr.Phillan Zamchiya Reader, ZANU PF and Mnangagwa’s lead partly remains a paradox though because the survey shows that most people are not happy. A majority of respondents (65%) say the country is going in the wrong direction; a large majority (69%) say the economy is bad and 62% say the living conditions are bad and this constitutes an equal proportion from both the urban and rural areas. An overwhelming majority (85%) say the government has performed badly in addressing key issues such as unemployment, corruption, the economy and managing the economy. Why then would the same people still vote for a failing government and not for the opposition? I can deduct four broad answers from the survey results.

By Dr Phillan Zamchiya: "Today, the Zimbabwe President has proclaimed the 23rd of August 2023 as the date for the General Election. Remember Dear Reader that on 19 May our article argued that "Zimbabwe's General Election must be held between the 20th and the 26th of August 2023. However, we should continuously endeavor to understand the nature of this complex state and its politics for meticulous and informed planning."

By Dr Phillan Zamchiya Dear Reader, In this edition, I seek to partly demonstrate how some traditional leaders rig elections in favour of the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU PF) on the voting day in marginal rural areas. I go further to suggest some practical interventions as a way to ignite wider debates ahead of Zimbabwe’s 2023 general election. This is based on insights drawn from a history of researching electoral politics in Zimbabwe.

By Dr. Phillan Zamchiya In my view, if any legal challenge is going to place GERRYMANDERING at the centre it is easier for such a case to crumble like a deck of cards. Why? Reader, GERRYMANDERING involves drawing constituencies and wards to shape the electoral outcome in favour of a particular political party or contestant. So this approach will require the applicant to prove the cited electorate’s voting preference. This is because the issue will be about the swapping of potential voters between constituencies and wards to achieve a particular partisan outcome. I know I use gerrymandering in my articles on the delimitation report but it is because I have evidence through studying voter inclinations in most constituencies in Zimbabwe. Reader, but even that scientific knowledge can easily be rendered useless in Zimbabwe’s higher courts proven to be largely beholden to the executive (hence not my favourite path) especially when it comes to rulings that concern the saddle of state power.

Dr Phillan Zamchiya Dear Reader, Zimbabwe’s draft delimitation report tabled in parliament today the 6th of January 2023 in line with section 161 of the constitution threatens electoral democracy in a subtle but deadly way. The report is 509 pages and has an anexure with 995 pages and maps. The report compiled by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) which is the statutory body mandated to run national elections presents the preliminary wards and 210 constituencies that can be used in the coming July/August 2023 general election if completed by 28 January 2023.