Political parties are sprouting around Zimbabwe ahead of general elections due in the month to 22 August 2018.
Under Zimbabwe law, the constitutional right to freedom of association extends to forming political parties without restrictions, and to registering the same organisations with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) for purposes of contesting elections.
How many parties are registered with the ZEC?
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission says by March 15 there were 112 political parties on its register, up from 75 organisations in October 2017 and 35 in June last year.
What is the cost of registering a party?
There are no registration fees for political parties.
Are there registration fees for contesting the elections?
Contesting parties and candidates are required to pay an administration registration fees at the nomination courts to participate in elections.
The fees are determined by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
How much is the administration/registration fees?
As of April 4 2018, the fee levels are:
Aspiring Presidential candidate – $1,000.00
Aspiring Parliamentary candidate – $100.00
What are the other requirements for contestants?
All candidates are subjected to security clearance for criminal records
Aspiring candidates must be legally registered voters
Parliamentary and council candidates must be over 21 years and above
Aspiring presidential candidates must be 40 years and above
What ballot paper is required for dozens of candidates contesting one post?
If Zimbabwe ends up with dozens of presidential candidates, or dozens of other candidates for a single parliamentary or council seat, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission can print a booklet to fit in all the names, pictures or symbols of the contestants.
Coalitions in the election race
New President Emmerson Mnangagwa who assumed state power on November 24 and control of the ruling ZANU-PF movement from former president Robert Mugabe has been declared the party’s presidential candidate for the 2018 elections.
Mnangagwa and ZANU-PF will face a number of coalitions in the 2018 race, including the following:
- Movement for Democratic Change, MDC-Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa.
The MDC Alliance:
Nelson Chamisa’s MDC-T,
Welshman Ncube’s MDC, Tendai Biti’s
People’s Democratic Party (PDP),
Agrippah Mutambara’s Zimbabwe People First (ZPF),
Jacob Ngarivhume’s Transform Zimbabwe,
Multiracial Christian Democrats and ZANU-Ndonga.
- People’s Rainbow Coalition (PRC) which includes former Zimbabwe vice-president Joice Mujuru’s National People’s Party (NPP), the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led by Lucia Matibenga and Democratic Assembly for Restoration of Democracy.
- The Coalition of Democrats (CODE) led by Elton Mangoma.
CODE includes ZAPU of Dumiso Dabengwa,
Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe (RDZ),
Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe led by Barbara Nyagomo,
Zimbabweans United for Democracy Party (Farai Mbira),
Democratic Assembly for Restoration and Empowerment (Gilbert Dzikiti),
African Democratic Party (Marceline Chikasha),
Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn (Simba Makoni)
ZimFirst (Maxwell Shumba).
- The newly formed National Patriotic Front (NPF) led by Ambrose Mutinhiri, which former president Robert Mugabe has blessed but says he and his wife Grace are not members of, has also expressed interest in working with an opposition coalition.
Number of parties in 2013 general election
There were 15 parties in the last general election, and five presidential candidates.
Results of 2013 Presidential Race
Robert Gabriel Mugabe (ZANU-PF) 2 110 434 (61.09%)
Morgan Richard Tsvangirai (MDC-T) 1 172 349 (34.94%)
Welshman Ncube (MDC) 92 637 (2.68%)
Dumiso Dabengwa (ZAPU) 25 416 (0.74%)
Kisinoti Munodei Mukwazhe (ZDP) 9 931 (0.29%)
Factsheet compiled by Cris Chinaka: Editor-In-Chief of ZimFact
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