HARARE – Election Resource Center’s (ERC) Friday voter education exercise championed by volunteers has indicated that women have low morale in the upcoming March 26 by-elections.
The pitstop election education exercise targeting both motorists and pedestrians was carried out at Samora Machel Avenue and Rotten Row road intersection last Friday.
A dozen volunteers engaged both motorists and pedestrians in election related issues.
Charity Chaturuka, one of the volunteers involved in the election education said the women she interacted with showed lack of “interest” and “enthusiasm” in the by-elections and 2023 elections.
“Women are really not interested in things to do with elections, it was really worrying.
“Throughout the exercise men were more interested in asking election related questions.
“Only a few women would stop and ask questions even if we were trying to hand them fliers to them,” said Chaturuka.
Chaturuka added that more was needed to be done on voter education that promotes women to participate in election processes.
In the previous 2018 elections women contributed 54 percent of 5 695 706 registered voters.
Concerns were however raised for the low voter turnout of women critics argued were attributed by the gladiatorial politics in the country.
ERC’s programs officer Rudo Motsi said: “We engaged volunteers to raise awareness on election related issues because citizens are central to the election cycle and there is a need to create platforms for their participation.”
Hudson Pikira, another ERC volunteer, said during the voter education exercise citizens expressed mixed feelings.
“In the pitstop election education exercise we were conscientising citizens about the importance of voting in by-elections and the 2023 elections.
“Some citizens were keen to understand election related issues while some displayed lack of interest in the exercise.
“Nonetheless it is important that citizens are informed about their democratic rights to vote,” concluded Pikira.
