Factsheet: What’s new in the Electoral Amendment Bill for 2023?

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi says Zimbabwe’s Parliament will urgently consider an Electoral Amendment Bill which has been drafted for use in general elections due between July and the end of August.

The Bill should be passed before the Proclamation of Elections — that is the setting of election dates by the State President, according to the minister.

Cabinet approved the framework of the Electoral Amendment Bill in October 2022, outlining its major objectives:

Purpose of the Bill

To ensure that only citizens are able to vote in the elections.
To ensure that only proper candidates are allowed to contest elections.
To provide clarity on when and how candidates can withdraw from elections so that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has sufficient time to change the design of the ballot papers and advise the electorate of their withdrawal.

Summary of some proposals in the Bill:

Voters are now required to produce a valid passport or National identity card as proof of identity before they register to vote. A Driver’s license will be be accepted as a valid identity card.
The Bill seeks to amend the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) to provide for the timeframe within which national assembly and local authority candidates can withdraw from contesting in an election.
The bill will also provide for the incorporation of the 30 percent women quota as well as the youth quota and the amendment of the definition of proof of identity.

Proposals from CCC

Legislators from the main opposition Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) movement have proposed further amendments, including the following:

That the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) ensures that, for at least two months after the announcement of the result of an election, all voting returns are kept open for inspection by members of the public at all reasonable times, and to provide copies upon payment of prescribed fees. (Kuwadzana East Member of Parliament, Charlton Hwende)
That ZEC provides every polling agent with a voters’ roll bearing pictures of all registered voters in order to validate their identities. (MP Charlton Hwende)
That ZEC be compelled to call for a competitive tender to print ballot papers and all related electoral material, including the procurement of indelible ink, and the supply of ballot boxes. (Mutare Central Member of Parliament, Innocent Gonese)
The expansion of the list of people entitled to special voting rights to include workers in sectors such as health, transport, power generation and supply, water supply, sewerage and sanitary, food production and delivery and fuel and coal supply services. (MP Gonese)

How many votes does the Electoral Amendment Bill need?

The Bill needs a simple majority to be passed by Parliament. The ruling ZANU-PF party has a comfortable majority of 180 seats in the National Assembly while the combined opposition has 90 members.

Sources:
Cabinet briefing statement, Oct. 4 2022
https://www.herald.co.zw/parliament-to-prioritise-electoral-amendment-bill/

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