Greetings to you all
Just a day before the conclusion of the BVR blitz, on the 8th of February a team from Masakhaneni Projects Trust with officials from ZEC held its own awareness raising and wooing residents at Blanket mine near Gwanda to register to vote. Actually, just on that day our teams were able to get 147 people registered. MPT held a number of activities ranging from sporting and distribution of informative and educational material as well as a road show to mobilize citizens to register to vote. There was lots of fanfare at Blanket mine with residents keen to receive campaign material like hats and T-Shirts but above all receiving information on the importance of registering to vote.
We had to embark on these activities in response to a national concern after early registration statistics had revealed that Matabeleland provinces had the least turnout of registrants. A number of reasons had been given to account for that indifference and low turnout by potential voters. While we acknowledged the validity of many of those reasons, nevertheless as MPT we felt obliged to raise the level of voter education. Hence our own small blitz that did wonders at Blanket Mine. A lesson learnt is that no matter how seemingly little an effort, it goes a long way in changing lives of communities. By the way, voter registration did not close but the massive BVR roll-out to communities, which means that people continue to register in ZEC offices. Voter registration is by nature and law a continuous process throughout the electoral cycle.
In our considered view, there is inadequate civic and voter education especially in rural communities. The month of October came and went apparently uneventful. In all honesty, I should confess my personal deep agony and torment about the progress or better still, lack of progress in the much touted Biometric Voter Registration exercise. My anxiety is not necessarily on the efficacy of the process which has received widely publicized misgivings from organized civil society and other electoral stakeholders like political parties or on the perceived partiality by our supposedly independent Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC). All that is now the least of my worry, but, poor turnout by the three Matabeleland provinces is indeed a cause for concern.
Of course, my worry is that first and foremost, this is my home too. But you will agree with me that any progressive Zimbabwean would equally be concerned. There is no need here to underline the many challenges faced by the people in this region. Non-governmental organizations assisting communities equally suffer disproportionately in terms of inadequate funding, hostile operating environment and the general stress of witnessing daily struggles of disempowered and impoverished families. The region has suffered disproportionately in HIV/AIDS prevalence, cancerous diseases, school dropouts, domestic violence and massive unemployment. Not mentioning the daily degradation of our environment through both legal and illegal gold mining operations that have become the only attraction to hapless young men. With all these difficulties I cannot stomach the addition of ‘region with low registration turnout!’
As people of good will we all need to reflect seriously on the meaning of this. To me it is not convincing enough that the supposed lack of preferred candidates in 2018 contestants could be the explanation as some have already suggested. Voter registration goes beyond simply the ability to cast your vote or not. The very delimitation which decides on wards and constituencies is informed by the number of registered voters. One of the concerns of Matabeleland region has been under representation considering the geographical size of the region, especially Matabeleland North and the number of seats allocated. But if systems remain as they are the number of seats cannot increase unless there is a proportionate increase in the number of registered voters. Hence my anxiety and torment!
While the numbers of registered voters nationwide in the first biometric registration blitz are not encouraging generally, the case of Matabeleland is really troubling. I know that all progressive forces and hopefully the responsible authorities are seized with this matter which has various negative consequences for the people of the region in particular and the country at large. Citizen participation has not been one of the problems of the region but now it is becoming a new phenomenon that we have no immediate answers. As Masakhaneni Projects Trusts we have worked and advocated for effective citizen participation in all public processes. Voting is indeed an important civic duty which we urge all those who are above eighteen years of age to exercise that right. In any case, the liberation rallying cry was: One (man) Person One Vote!
Let us all actively participate in decision making at both local council and national government level by exercising our right to choose councillors, legislators and a president of our choice. The much desired development; especially in Matabeleland is linked to the way we vote or not vote. It is important therefore for all; old and young, first time voters and those who have voted before, to register through the biometric registration for a better voters roll. At Masakhaneni we have all registered and now we call upon you to do the same.
I thank you.
P.T.N