Now that the dust of the of Zimbabwe’s recent harmonized elections has settled, some questions are floating and demand attention – especially on levels of political participation of persons with disabilities and the elderly.
The country’s electoral law mandates the Zimbabwe Electoral Commissions (ZEC) – one of the five independent commissions in the Constitution – to independently manage and supervise elections in the country, and entrench human rights and democracy.
But the recent election witnessed ZEC failing to provide election material on time – unforeseen challenges that resulted in many polling stations opening late on August 23 and some so late the process spilled into the following day!
These obstacles and challenges and obstacles discouraged many from exercising their Constitutional right to vote – especially PWDs.
Recent reports from community-based organisations and organisations for people with disabilities (OPDs) representing say despite forming a significant share of the voting population, they find themselves, in most cases, blocked from the ballot.
According to ZEC, whose function also includes registering voters, 6 623 511 people registered to vote out of a population of 16 729 875 (39,59 percent.)
The last election saw 4 561 221 million casting their vote with 52,6 percent of these voting for President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF garnering slightly less their desired two-thirds majority but still enough to set the agenda as they effectively control both Houses of Parliament.
However, nearly two million stayed away for various reasons.
One of the stay-aways is Johnson Maidza.
“We are always forgotten when it comes to taking part in politics,” he says, explaining that as a blind person and a beggar on the streets he needs his 11-year-old to guide him on his daily rounds.” So my brother, going to the polling station is asking for too much as I may stand in the queue or as I heard times for opening changed to afternoon.”
Elisa (no second name given), who uses a wheelchair and did not vote as well, says she does not have a national identity document as her metal one is faded and I don’t have time to go queue for a new one!”
“I will spent spend hours waiting or even told to return the following day,” explaining that as a street vendor that means losing customers.
Still another person who did not vote who uses a three-wheeler in the central business district along First Street, says he is just not interested after he got injured in the leg in 2018 when opposition supporters ran amok as usual, destroying his wares at Copacabana purportedly demanding presidential results barely 48 hours after closure of polls.
“The deal-breaker for me is taking part is inaccessible road and inadequate parking at the voting sites in Epworth,” he says, telling this reporter that being lifted and carried around is not his choice of self-confidence display.
Polling stations are in most cases often located in school buildings , many of which lack suitable access for PWDs thus creating obstacles for those that cannot climb steps and need assistance from election official a or police officers. It was also reported by some observers that some political groups were influencing the vote of people they were assisting!
“I am not crying for pity or mourning for special treatment but . . .” he pauses before proceeding, “No one can deny there is a stink from where I was supposed to vote from at Batanayi School in Epworth North Constituency where voting opened late afternoon and spilled over to the following day!”
The ZEC should be ready with accommodative infrastructure “that does not injure the dignity of PWDs as well as respect others with various impairments,” he says wheeling away in undisguised frustration.
The numbers of PWDs in the country is sobering – between nine percent and 15 percent – depending on whose research one is using but it is widely believed at least 10 percent of Zimbabweans have a disability – that is about 1,6 million and counting.
According to the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) survey and research on the electoral Amendment ACT OF 28 May 2018, there is currently no provision template ballots that voters who are blind can use to vote by themselves, unassisted in line with progressive realization of the rights of the disabled in Section 83 of the Constitution.
“And the situation is even worse for persons with other conditions such as psychosocial disabilities who are currently not provided with arrangements as voters.
Article 29 on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities touches on participation in political and public life and prescribes that PWDs have the right to participate in these spheres as well as vote and elected into office. This provision also is also supporting provisions under Sustainable Developing Goals (SDG) 5 on gender, SDG 10 on reducing inequalities and SDG 16 on peace and strong institutions.
Leonard Marange, director at the Federation of Organisations of Disabled People in Zimbabwe (FODPZ), a national disability umbrella body of various national disabled people’s organisations, says the challenges facing political participation came to the fore especially in the recent elections.
“There is need for very serious and effective research on the actual numbers of PWDs given that disability is also an evolving concept,” he says, explaining that people get disabled on a daily basis due to accidents, illness and aging.
Marange agrees that while the actual voting day was peaceful work needs still needs to be done for more PWDs to exercise their democratic right to vote.
“Much more needs to be done to ensure more people including the elderly can vote freely and with dignity to strengthen our political participation, otherwise democracy is at risk.”
Laws and policies are powerful tools to protect and promote voting rights of PWDs, but they require enforcement to be effective.”
Although some research has been done on collection of data of PWDs and OPDs like FODPZ are seeking to see that voting access for PWDs is improved.
“We need to continue to educate government and ZEC officials and the general public about the laws and rights of existing laws and to ensure we receive accessibility training.”
