We have learnt precious little from the latest election process in Zimbabwe. Contrary to popular belief, elections have not weakened ZANU PF, they have given it the opportunity to ‘legally’ shore up its grip on power. As has become the norm, allegations of widespread electoral manipulation dominate the post-election news. The political and voter apathy […]
Category Archives: First Past The Post
The First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) voting system misrepresents Matabeleleland voters
As is now standard practice in Zimbabwean elections, the 31-Jul-2013 election outcome was immediately followed by rumblings from the main opposition, the MDC-T, who felt there were numerous elements not quite fair about it. They may have had a point, the result may well have been partially an outcome of ZANU PF’s cosmetic efforts but, […]
Zimbabwe’s elections and their irrelevance to democracy
Elections are indispensable to democracy yet holding elections must not be seen as evidence of democracy. Democracy cannot be measured merely on the basis of a country holding regular ‘free and fair’ elections where ‘free’ and ‘fair’ are subjectively determined by the political elite. Even the fairest election does not of itself eradicate inherent power […]
