EISA

Facebook Linkedin
Call us on +27 11 381 6000
Menu
Menu
Menu

ZANU-PF

Home > ZANU-PF
2023 journal of african elections v22n2 eisa transparent democratic governance in africa

Déjà vu With Difference: A Gramscian Interpretation of Zimbabwe’s 2023 Elections and their Pasts

Violence – ranging from barely detectable to genocidal to coups and post-coup mêlées – has marred most if not all of Zimbabwe’s elections since its 1980 birth. Electoral brutality has been almost normalised since Zimbabwe’s first meaningful opposition, coupled with the ‘fast track’ land reform-inspired crises, accompanied the millennium’s turn. This article suggests that elections are signposts of what Antonio Gramsci might have considered the balance of coercion and consent during the long interregna between colonialism and an uncertain end. Evidence from Zimbabwe’s 2023 election and its predecessors illustrates the changing techniques between the coercion/consent poles as ZANU-PF’s leaders gain and maintain power along the rocky road to an unknown destination.

journal of african elections vol20 number 2 transparent democratic governance in africa

The Rural Electorate in Zimbabwe’s Elections 1980-2018: Consciousness and Voting Preferences

This article analyses rural electorate consciousness and urban voting
preferences during Zimbabwe’s elections from 1980 to 2018. The article gives
agency to the rural dwellers in elections, contrary to the general perception
of a captured rural voter and liberal urban voter. To analyse rural voters’
electoral consciousness, the paper uses primary sources (electoral statistical
records), oral interviews (notwithstanding the prevailing COVID-19
lockdown environment) and secondary literature to derive research data. The
data helps to determine the differences between urban and rural ideologies,
culture and ethics which manifest in the political party preferences of the
social groups in the two geographical spaces. The paper concludes that rural
dwellers tended to support the ruling party at elections, though they were
more vulnerable to political patronage and seemingly forced participation
in electoral processes than the urban voters. Nonetheless, complex cultural,
economic, social and historic factors compelled them to participate in elections
more than their urban counterparts. Thus, rural voters can be viewed as
conscious participants in electoral processes with varied, albeit mobilised
participation and political ideologies.

journal of african elections vol16 number 1 transparent democratic governance in africa

Electoral violence and it’s Instrumental Logic: Mapping Press Discourse on Electoral Violence during Parliamentary and Presidential Elections in Zimbabwe

Elections are one of the key benchmarks for assessing the international perception of a nation’s democratic credentials. However, the credibility of elections is increasingly being tied to questions of whether or not they are conducted in a peaceful atmosphere. Where violence exists as part of the menu of manipulation the press becomes a crucial tool […]

journal of african elections vol13 number 2 transparent democratic governance in africa

The Youth Factor in Zimbabwe’s 2013 Harmonised Elections

The youth in Zimbabwe have often been described as disenfranchised, corruptible and susceptible to manipulation by politicians. This narrative assumes that the youth are a homogenous group, uniform in their grievances and consensual about strategies to resolve them. Analysing the case of youth participation in the 2013 harmonised elections in Zimbabwe, this article challenges that […]

journal of african elections vol13 number 2 transparent democratic governance in africa

The ‘Menu of Manipulation’ and the 2013 Zimbabwe Elections: Towards explaining the ‘technical knockout’

A year after Zimbabwe’s July 2013 elections some are still mystified by the results, especially the overwhelming triumph of incumbent President Robert Mugabe and his Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF). The outcome seemed to go against the grain. Zanu-PF achieved a supermajority, capturing more than two-thirds of the parliamentary seats. Its chief rival, the […]

journal of african elections vol13 number 2 transparent democratic governance in africa

Land, Indigenisation and Empowerment: Narratives that Made a Difference in Zimbabwe’s 2013 Elections

The 2013 harmonised elections held in Zimbabwe after the termination of the SADC- facilitated Government of National Unity elicited unprecedented comment following another resounding ‘win’ by the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF). This article reflects on the election and argues that while competitive authoritarianism contributed significantly to the party’s ‘landslide victory’, it is slipshod […]

journal of african elections vol13 number 2 transparent democratic governance in africa

Civil Society’s Contested Role in the 2013 Elections in Zimbabwe: A Historical Perspective

This article is a critical and historical assessment of the contribution of Zimbabwe’s bourgeoning civil society to the restructuring of political and social relations in post-colonial Zimbabwe. The general objective is to contribute to the debate about how Zimbabwe’s post-colonial civil society has theorised about change and, importantly, the deeply contested nature of the agency […]

journal of african elections vol12 number 1 transparent democratic governance in africa

Briefing: Continuity or Reform in Zimbabwean Politics?: An Overview of the 2013 Referendum

In the first post-independence constitutional referendum, held in February 2000, fewer than half the country’s registered voters participated. The outcome of that referendum was that about 54% of voters voted against the draft constitution while 45% voted for it. The referendum proved to be a major watershed in Zimbabwean politics, partly because it signalled a […]

  • Menu