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2025 journal of african elections v24n1 eisa transparent democratic governance in africa

Election Boundaries in Zimbabwe: The Science and Politics of Delimitation

This article critically examines the electoral integrity of Zimbabwe’s 2023 harmonised elections through the lens of delimitation, which refers to the process of redrawing electoral boundaries. After the 2017 political transition, delimitation emerged as a central issue in Zimbabwean politics, becoming a focal point of debate and controversy during the 2023 elections. The redrawing of electoral boundaries was particularly contentious, with allegations that the final electoral maps disenfranchised the voters by scattering them across constituencies, leading to widespread confusion and voter suppression on election day. Many stakeholders accused the delimitation process, along with other electoral malpractices, of facilitating vote theft and undermining the credibility of the electoral outcome. Despite the significance of delimitation, there was a notable lack of understanding among key actors regarding the science and politics behind it. While some viewed it as a technical exercise, others perceived it as a tool for electoral manipulation. This study examines the theory and practice of delimitation, exploring both its technical dimensions and its potential for political misuse. Drawing on literature and case studies, the paper analyses how the pre- 2023 delimitation process influenced the electoral outcome, highlighting its role in shaping voter distribution and electoral fairness. The results highlight the importance of delimitation as a cornerstone of electoral integrity. The paper shows that such a process must be conducted transparently, independently, and with meticulous care. When mishandled, delimitation can become a mechanism for incumbent regimes to manipulate electoral outcomes, which erodes public trust in democratic processes. By shedding light on the complexities of delimitation in Zimbabwe’s 2023 elections, this article contributes to broader discussions on electoral governance, boundary delimitation, and the safeguarding of democratic principles in transitional democracies.

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 vol21 number 1 transparent democratic governance in africa

Zimbabwe’s post-2000 elections: More hotly Contested yet less Democratic than in the Past

This article investigates Zimbabwe’s post-2000 elections, why they have been more hotly contested than previously, and whether they have been undemocratic. The post-2000 period marked what is arguably the most turbulent phase in the electoral history of the country since independence in 1980, and Zimbabwe’s elections were de facto degraded, becoming a means of sustaining incumbents in power. The paper asserts that Zimbabwe’s elections are mainly a front for hoodwinking both the electorate and observers. They are not used to provide for the free expression of the will of the people, but to endorsethe incumbents rather than effectively challenge them. To this extent, they are manipulated to produce a pre-determined outcome confirming the current leaders, irrespective of their performance. Supported by empirical data from interviews and primary sources together with statistical records from electoral institutions such as the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT), and Afrobarometer, the article concludes that elections are mainly for show, to entrench the incumbents.

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 vol20 number 1 transparent democratic governance in africa

Elections, Legitimacy and Democratic Consolidation in Southern Africa: Lessons from Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi

Regular elections are now the norm across most of sub-Saharan Africa,
but repeated elections have not guaranteed the consolidation of democracy.
Election legitimacy is crucial for democratisation. When losing political
actors and their supporters are not satisfied with the electoral process, there
is potential for growing political tensions. Fraudulent or controversial
elections fail to confer legitimacy on the winners, and undermine the
integrity of elections and democracy. Drawing on Afrobarometer data and
media accounts, this paper focuses on the most recent elections held in three
southern African countries: Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi. We show that
when citizens believe that elections were not free and fair, there is a decline
in their satisfaction with democracy and the trust they have in institutions
such as electoral commissions and courts of law. The absence of political
reforms to address disputed election outcomes increases the likelihood that
future elections will not be contested fairly. This sets countries on a path of
democratic decline rather than consolidation.

journal of african elections vol19 number 2 transparent democratic governance in africa

Succession Politics and State Administration in Africa: The Case of Zimbabwe

The paper is a critical inquiry into the influence of succession politics on
state administration in Africa, with particular reference to Zimbabwe, and
unpacks the interactive boundaries and conceptual overlaps in this field.
This study was based on 18 qualitative in-depth interviews conducted with
key informants using the purposive sampling technique, complemented by
extensive document review. The findings of the study show that succession
politics in Africa includes executive dominance, egocentrism and excessive
appointive powers. These are compounded by the lack of an institutional
framework of succession, which in turn undermines the professional
independence of the bureaucracy and inhibits the pursuit of comprehensive
governance. The findings also isolate Zimbabwe as a victim of political,
societal and historical factors that exacerbate the succession dilemma. In its
recommendations, the paper argues that the succession challenge faced by the
continent, in particular Zimbabwe, will continue to hound succession trends
and responsive administration unless broad-based reforms are instituted to
dismantle the historical legacies embedded in the political systems.

journal of african elections vol18 number 2 transparent democratic governance in africa

Electoral Governance and Democratisation in Southern African Post-Conflict States: Electoral Management Bodies in Angola, Mozambique and South Africa

Democratisation is a complex process that includes crafting political institutions. These institutions reflect existing power relations at the critical juncture of their genesis, thus influencing the development of subsequent political processes. The study uses this perspective to examine the impact of electoral governance on democratisation with a focus on three southern African post-conflict states. Specifically, […]

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 ‘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 […]

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