WOMEN’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (Walpe) has expressed concern over the low number of women candidates fielded for the August general elections.
The final list of candidates released by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) showed that the major political parties fielded less than 12% women out of the total number of 210 National Assembly constituencies being contested.
Zanu PF fielded 23 women candidates (11%) while CCC has 20 women candidates (10%) for the parliamentary seats.
Walpe said this was in clear violation of sections 17, 56 and 80 of the Constitution which call for gender equality in all sectors including politics.
“It is also an indication of the political unwillingness of both parties to afford women their right to equal and fair political participation and representation in leadership positions.
“The final list also violates Zimbabwe’s commitment under the Sadc Protocol on Gender and Development which the Zimbabwean government ratified in 2009 and came into effect in 2013. This called for at least 50% representation of women in public and private decision-making by 2015," Walpe said.
Walpe said political parties signed the “women’s charter” presented to them by women’s rights organisations on February 23, 2023, and pledged to abide by the tenets of the Constitution which provides for 50-50 representation.
The lobby group said political parties’ lack of seriousness as evidenced by the Zec list exposed that the signing of the charter was tokenism and a piecemeal attempt by them to silence aspiring and women leaders.
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Walpe implored political parties to live up to the provisions of the Constitution which demands upholding of gender equality.
Meanwhile, women have called for a peaceful, free and fair election.
“We want this election to be free and fair whereby we can choose our candidates without fear or intimidation from the State,” CCC proportional representation council candidate Takudzwa Dzumbunu said.
Zanu PF youth league secretary for security Sally Ngoni said women should take the lead in shunning political violence.
“Women should shun political violence during the upcoming elections and support our female candidates,” Ngoni said.
This was said during a workshop hosted by Walpe on women's participation in elections recently.
