Mudenda, who also called for the appointment of a second
vice-president, said there was need “to amend the Constitution to encapsulate
the diaspora vote” at an all-stakeholder workshop organised by the Zimbabwe
Election Support Network (Zesn) held in Kariba last weekend.
The statements have ruffled feathers in Zanu PF, with party
spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa yesterday saying the Speaker was offside.
“It’s okay for Parliament, as the electorate of the
sovereign people of Zimbabwe to express their certain views,” Mutsvangwa told
journalists at a Press conference.
“We also belong to a party and we have the majority. It’s
unbecoming when some of our members express views in Parliament about certain
issues. We have a caucus at the party. Why would somebody from the ruling party
want to go and express things about the diaspora or express things about when
the President should be electing a vice-president?”
Under the current legislative framework, Zimbabweans living
abroad cannot vote.
The opposition has been pushing for a diaspora vote, among
several electoral reforms, to guarantee a free, fair and credible election.
In his speech at the Zesn workshop, Mudenda said: “Should
the diaspora vote take currency, there is a need to amend the Constitution to
encapsulate the diaspora vote. Further, amendments to the Electoral Act should
clearly specify the procedures and mechanisms for registration and voting for
citizens in the diaspora.”
But Zanu PF has fiercely opposed the diaspora vote, with
analysts saying the ruling party is scared that millions of Zimbabweans in the
diaspora will vote for the opposition.
The Electoral Act only guarantees government employees such
as diplomats the right to vote from outside the country through postal votes.
Following the 2018 elections, observer missions called on
government to facilitate postal voting for every Zimbabwean as guaranteed under
section 67 of the Constitution, which speaks to universal suffrage and
guarantees every citizen above the age of 18 the right to vote.
Said Mutsvangwa: “We should discuss them here. To go out
and start talking out of turn is not the Zanu PF way. There is no problem in
having variant views, but let’s discuss them if you are a party member. As the
spokesperson of the party, I appeal for discipline from our party members.”
In 2018, the Constitutional Court barred millions of
Zimbabweans abroad from voting in that year’s elections after an appeal filed
by three Zimbabweans — Gabriel Shumba and Sibonile Mfumisi (both based in South
Africa), and United Kingdom-based Darlington Nyambiya seeking the right to
vote. Newsday
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