staying away

Zimbabwe: Apathy derails young prospective voters

By The Africa Report

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Posted on April 7, 2023 11:30

© A woman walks past an old election banner in Harare, Zimbabwe, January 20, 2019. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo – RC16A726D6C0 — A woman walks past an old election banner in Harare, Zimbabwe, January 20, 2019. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo – RC16A726D6C0

While there was a large turnout of Zimbabwean youth to register to vote in the final registration drive for the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections, civic advocacy groups say many were thwarted by network challenges to register online, and a lack of identity documents. But the biggest problem is voter apathy.

“Some young people aged over 18 also do not want to register to vote because of perceptions that this election is already rigged,” says Allan Chipoyi, the chairperson of Project Vote 263, a voter rights group.

He says the youth they have spoken to believe the election is only carried out because it is written in the constitution.

“They feel that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has always been conniving with the ruling Zanu PF party to ensure it wins elections,” Chipoyi tells The Africa Report.

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