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SETTING
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in Southern Africa with an area of 390,580 square kilometres and a population of about 15.1 million as predicted in 2021. The country is bordered on all sides by other countries. Zambia lies to the northwest with the Zambezi River and Victoria Falls forming the border. Mozambique lies to the northeast with its border formed by the Eastern Highlands. Botswana lies to the southwest and South Africa to the south (its border formed by the Limpopo River).
Zimbabwe gained its independence from the British in 1980.
TODAY:
Three-quarters of the country’s 270 legislators are elected into office. A tenth of those seats are up for grabs on SATURDAY (today) , as well as five percent of the 1,958 local government council seats. In short, 28 Constituencies go for by-elections in Zimbabwe on this day.
If one constituency were to have around 550 thousand people, we would say that the whole nation is voting.
THE COST:
Despite the ailing economy, elections in Zimbabwe have proven to never lack. Elections create a lot of opportunities for both private and public sector. "Elections" is the most used term in Zimbabwe by both ruling and opposition. The by-elections, to some are but a referendum, a test of what might happen in 2023.
Last year Zimbabwe Election Commission had said, "We had put up a bid of $23 billion for the preparations of the 2022 by-elections. In regards to elections, however, only $11 billion was allocated to us meaning that there is a huge shortfall ($12 Billion)".
Do elections make a difference in Zimbabwe? Will people go out in numbers? Is the expenditure worth it? Is democracy viable or costly ?
Aziqunyw'amakhanda ziyekwe.
