The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has declared Elisabeth Isabel Valerio a duly nominated Presidential candidate to participate in the 23 August 2023 general elections.
Valerio’s name has been included on the ballot paper following her successful appeal to have her nomination as Presidential candidate accepted after the High Court reversed ZEC’s decision to decline her nomination.
She was the only presidential candidate whose appeal against disqualification was successful.
The other aspiring presidential candidates, Saviour Kasukuwere and Linda Masarira’s appeals were rejected by the courts.
In a statement on Wednesday, ZEC chief elections officer, Utloile Silaigwana said:
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It is hereby notified that following an order of the Electoral Court sitting in Harare, issued on the 19th of July 2023, Ms. Elisabeth Isabel Valerio, a candidate sponsored by the United Zimbabwe Alliance (UZA) party, is hereby declared a duly nominated Presidential candidate.
Polling shall take place on Wednesday, 23 August 2023 from 7 am to 7 pm for the purpose of electing persons to the office of President.
Valerio took ZEC to the Electoral Court in July over ZEC’s refusal to approve her nomination papers as a presidential candidate.
Her nomination papers were rejected despite providing bank-stamped proof of her request to initiate a ZWL transfer of funds to the ZEC bank account for the required nomination fees equivalent to US$20 000.
After successfully appealing against ZEC’s decision, Valerio became the only female Presidential candidate for next week’s presidential election.
The other candidates are President Emmerson Mnangagwa of ZANU PF, Joseph Makamba Busha of Free Zim Congress, Nelson Chamisa of CCC, Trust Chikohora of ZCPD, Blessing Kasiyamhuru of ZIPP, Professor Lovemore Madhuku of NCA, Wilbert Mubaiwa of NPC, Gwinyai Henry Muzorewa of UANC, Douglas Mwonzora of MDC and Wilson Harry Peter of DOP.
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*What You Need To Know A Week Before Zim Elections*
Zimbabwe’s presidential and parliamentary elections will be held on 23 August and 11 candidates vying for the presidency.
*How The Elections Will Work*
Presidential candidates must win more than 50% of the vote to be elected. If no candidates reach this threshold, there will be a run-off between the two leading candidates on 2 October.
According to Reuters, a simple majority of votes is enough for parliamentary and local council can
About 6.6 million people are registered to vote. No citizens living outside Zimbabwe are allowed to cast their votes.
*When Will The Results Be Released?*
According to the law, the election results must be released within five days of the last ballots being cast.
*Who Are The Candidates?*
The Zimbabwe Election Commission authorised 11 candidates for the 2023 elections – a significant downturn from the 23 who contested in 2018.
The reduction in candidates is most likely due to the twentyfold increase in the fee to run for office.
Presidential candidates forked out $20 000 to appear on the ballot, while parliamentary candidates paid $2 000.
Zanu PF’s Emmerson Mnangagwa, the incumbent, and the Citizen’s Coalition for Change’s (CCC), Nelson Chamisa, are the frontrunners.
They are joined on the ballot by:
Elizabeth Valerio – United Zimbabwe Alliance (UZA)
Douglas Mwonzora – Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
Joseph Makamba Busha – FreeZim Congress
Trust Tapiwa Chikohora – Zimbabwe Coalition for Peace and Development (ZCPD)
Blessing Kasiyamhuru – Zimbabwe Partnership for Prosperity (ZIPP)
Lovemore Madhuku – National Constitutional Assembly (NCA)
Wilbert Archbald Mubaiwa – National People’s Congress (NPC)
Gwinyai Henry Muzorewa – The United African National Council (UANC)
Harry Peter Wilson – Democratic Opposition Party of Zimbabwe (DOP)
While on the campaign trail, Mnangagwa, who has led the country since Robert Mugabe was ousted in 2017, promised to revive the economy and improve infrastructure development.
Chamisa pledged to tackle corruption and the abuse of the mineral-rich country’s resources by the ruling elite.
In 2018, Mnangagwa narrowly beat Chamisa by winning 50.8% of the vote. According to the BBC, the European Union (EU) said the final results had many errors.
Chamisa’s political party disputed the outcome, claiming that the count was inaccurate by tens of thousands. The legal challenge failed.
*What Are The Most Pressing Issues?*
Unemployment remains high and is an essential issue for young people under the age of 35. These voters make up 70% of the population, according to Reuters.
According to the BBC, the cost-of-living crisis continues to be a concern for voters, with high inflation and interest rates and a Zimbabwe dollar that lost 86% of its value between January and June.
*Will The Elections Be Free & Fair?*
According to a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report, Zimbabwean authorities have not taken steps to ensure the general elections in August will meet international standards for free and fair elections.
In the report, titled Crush Them Like ****: Repression of Civil and Political Rights Ahead of Zimbabwe’s August 2023 Election, released on 3 August, HRW found that repressive laws, Zanu PF’s abuse of state resources, intimidation and violence against the opposition compromised the electoral process.
Zanu PF has denied using violence, intimidation, and media blackouts against opposition parties despite accusations from the opposition and human rights activists.
Idriss Ali Nassah, the lead author of the HRW report, said: “Zimbabwe’s authorities have yet again demonstrated a lack of respect for the basic freedoms necessary for a credible, free, and fair election.
“The inability of many candidates to campaign freely and openly throughout Zimbabwe raises serious concerns about whether the election results will reflect the political will of Zimbabwe’s people.” *News24*
