28 Jul 2018
NANGO commends the nation for the peaceful environment that has been prevailing ahead of the 2018 plebiscite although there are incidences of politically motivated violence that have been highlighted in some parts of the country. We urge the nation to exercise their democratic rights in a peaceful manner. NANGO upholds that elections give the general citizenry an opportunity to participate in democratic processes through exercising their rights. In this regard, NANGO through its membership contributes towards the creation of an enabling environment that allows for a democratic process to be undertaken in a free, fair and peaceful environment thereby enhancing the credibility of the election outcome.
As part of a strategy of fostering sustainable peace, NANGO have been engaging key stakeholders along the governance value chain. In this regard, NANGO membership developed the Green Paper Series, which is a compendium of critical issues for consideration by key actors such as political parties, independent candidates, independent commissions, general citizenry, donor community and civil society amongst others.
NANGO engaged ZANU PF, MDC Alliance, People’s Democratic Party, MDC led by Professor Welshman Ncube, Zimbabwe African People’s Union, Mthwakazi Republic Party, and Alliance for People’s Agenda as well as independent candidates. Furthermore, NANGO also engaged Independent Commissions notably, National Peace and Reconciliation Commission, Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission and the Gender Commission. NANGO also made an endeavour to engage ZEC, MDC-T led by Dr Thokozani Khupe and the People’s Rainbow Coalition but the meetings did not take place owing to other pressing commitments by stakeholders.
The key issues for consideration and further reflections with pivotal governance actors included the following:
All political parties and candidates made commitments to free, fair, peaceful and credible elections. They pledged to preach and practice the tenets of peace within their parties. This is the environment that we respect and acknowledge as NANGO, which sets a solid foundation for sustainable economic, social and political development.
NANGO observed that political parties were highly committed to the electoral process and the openness of democratic space that allowed for political parties to campaign freely. Political parties appreciated the invitation of international observers as it signifies commitment to transparency in holding elections. However, the political landscape was not uniform as independent candidates in some instances were hindered from accessing the electorate with some state institutions requesting them to get clearance to access the electorate.
A striking issue across all political parties is the low representation of women as candidates at all levels. This is against the background that Zimbabwe has a National Gender Policy which seeks to achieve a gender just society where men and women enjoy equality and equity and participate as equal partners in the development process of the country. In addition, Zimbabwe is signatory to protocols that promote gender equality in all facets of development such as SADC Gender Protocol, Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women and Beijing Platform of Action among others. Therefore, low representation of women in positions of authority continues to marginalise the key development aspects and voice of women. In view of the above NANGO envisions an improved political environment that allows for the meaningful participation of women in electoral processes.
Political parties and candidates bemoaned vote buying and use of public resources to influence voters. For instance, the use of constituency development fund, presidential input scheme and command agriculture were viewed as instruments to lure votes for some political parties.
NANGO is concerned that Independent Commissions need to instill confidence of Zimbabweans in national processes. However, the credibility of these institutions is enhanced by their transparency and accountability in the way they discharge their mandates. In particular, the credibility of elections is questioned by political parties, candidates civil society and general members of the public.
It is worth noting that after engagements with these stakeholders NANGO observed improvements in a number of the key demands that were presented to them. This is encouraging as it testifies that dialogue and engagement with stakeholders is a key instrument to influence in a positive way critical national processes.
NANGO calls on the electorate to go and exercise their right to vote on Monday 30 July 2018 as we elect into office the president, members of parliament and councillors who are going to be governing us for the next five years. The electorate is also reminded to uphold peace and tranquillity pre, during and post-election day. Remember, your vote is your right.
To the political parties and candidates, NANGO urges you to call upon your supporters to exercise their political rights in a peaceful manner and desist from using hate speech and intimidating those holding divergent views.
NANGO implores all Independent Commissions to diligently execute their mandate to enhance constitutionalism by promoting transparency and accountability in public institutions as well as entrenching human rights and democracy during these elections.
We pray that Zimbabwe emerges stronger, unified and prosperous after the 2018 harmonised elections.
NANGO is an apolitical, non-profit making and non-denominational umbrella body of NGOs in Zimbabwe, founded in 1962. NANGO promotes a proactive community of NGOs that are responsive and committed to the sustainable development needs of all people in Zimbabwe and the full realization of human rights, democracy, good governance and poverty alleviation.
Presented by Wadzanayi Vere, NANGO Board Chairperson and Head of Mission of the NANGO Election Observation Mission on 28 July 2018.
12 Jul 2018
With the long-awaited polls just around the corner, it’s important to be well-informed about the procedure and your options before you cast your vote. Here’s a quick guide that also clarifies some of the most common questions.
Why vote in the harmonised election?
Because you can then hold the elected representative accountable for the changes that you want to see in your community.
How do I know if I can cast my vote?
You can only vote from a polling station in your ward and your name must be on the voter’s roll. The electoral roll is comprised of names of all citizens who can vote in a specific ward.
You can check if your name appears in the electoral list on the official website of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), using either your registered name and National ID Card Number or serial number.
Which is my ward and constituency?
Take a look at the map view of all wards and constituencies in Zimbabwe. You can find the corresponding assembly constituency for your ward on this database.
Where is my polling station?
To know your constituency, polling station address and other details, you dial *265# and enter your National ID Number.
Can I vote if I do not have a Voters Registration Slip?
As long as your name is there on the electoral roll, you can vote. In case you do not have your Voter registration slip, you will have to carry a valid ID card when you go to the polling station. The alternative photo ID cards accepted by the Election Commission are:
How do I know who is contesting from my constituency?
It’s important to know who you cast your vote for because they will be representing you in the National Assembly and council for the next five years. If you want to know the names of candidates contesting from your constituency and the parties they represent, find the database of all candidates according to ward and constituency here.
You need to also analyse the work of sitting councillors and Members of Parliament (MPs) in your constituency and ward, you can check all details — including their personal contact information, MP Constituency Development Funds utilisation, details furnished in the election nomination court etc. Reading their profiles, interviews and past achievements will help you make the right decision.
What is the Code of Conduct that all candidates should follow?
The Code of Conduct is a set of instructions announced by the ZEC to be followed by both political parties and candidates contesting elections. These include guidelines and instructions on general conduct, campaigning, meetings and rallies etc.
You can check out the detailed guidelines with respect to each of the above on the website of ZEC on the following link: http://www.zec.org.zw/pages/coc.php
Where can I report if I observe any violation of the code of conduct or any other violations?
If you come across any violation to code of conduct or any election related violation, you can get in touch with the ZEC on +263 242 756252 / 759130 / 774095 or email: inquiries@zec.org.zw or the Local Election Officers. You can also file a complaint with Zimbabwe Republic Police and election monitoring patrol team.
What is the process inside the polling station?
Figure 1 Source: ZEC Website
How to ensure that my vote cast on the Ballot Paper has been correctly recorded?
There will be a list of candidates standing in your constituency. Candidates will be ordered alphabetically. Each candidate will also have the name of the party they are standing for, or whether they are an independent candidate. Mark your ballot paper with an X – not a tick – next to the candidate you would like to vote for. You must vote for only one candidate. However, for the visually impaired as in the 2008 and 2013 elections when they voted in the presence of a police officer and two other electoral officers, ZEC has indicated that it is not providing braille ballot papers for the 2018 elections.
When are polling stations open?
The polling stations are open from 7am in the morning until 7pm at night.
Be an informed and engaged citizen and cast your vote on July 30, 2018.
6 Jul 2018
Twelve aspiring candidates from various constituencies in Mutare identified unemployment as the major challenge affecting residents. The residents convened to engage aspiring Members of Parliament and councilors and to interrogate issues affecting communities.
Eight out of the 12 participants pointed out unemployment as a major cause for concern in their communities. The second most common problem in the different constituencies was of lack of infrastructure development which was raised by six candidates. Health issues were the least commonly identified problems as identified only by 5 candidates. Only one aspiring councilor identified corruption and disunity among Penhalonga community members as a top priority in her constituency.
High unemployment has gravely affected the youth and increased vices such as criminal activities, prostitution and drug abuse. Sustainable developmental initiatives or projects that eradicate poverty and significantly improve the livelihoods of vulnerable people, people with disabilities, the elderly and orphans were identified as critical. Residents said they do not anticipate aspiring candidates to proffer provision of food hampers as solutions but are looking forward to long term solutions.
Lack of health facilities, poor and inconsistent refuse collection, illegal dump sites and erratic water supply were said to pose major health threats to residents. The people most prone to be affected by these are women and children.
Community members highlighted the need for those aspiring for public office to prioritize people with disabilities, women and youth in their development agendas and not to just focus on infrastructure development but spearhead sustainable development as well.
Considering how Zimbabwean elections have been riddled with violence, at the debate candidates and community members were encouraged to conduct themselves in a manner that is not violent or that does not instigate violence. Transparency and inclusivity were encouraged so as to level the playing field for candidates, especially women.
The aspiring candidates are drawn from Alliance for People’s Agenda, Zimbabwe Democracy Union, Zimbabwe Partnership for Prosperity and the Movement for Democratic Change. Of these 12 candidates, eight are men and four are women. Only six candidates are vying for the Member of Parliament seats, of these six only one woman is contesting. For council there are six aspiring candidates, with only three females.
The election debate was dubbed #HerDebate, held on 21 June 2018 at the Chikanga Community Hall and facilitated by Women’s Coalition Zimbabwe (Mutare Chapter). The debate created a platform for aspiring candidates to engage with community members in a bid help the electorate make informed decisions ahead of the elections and to let the candidates hear the need of the people from the people. The platform empowered previously marginalized groups like people with disabilities, women and the youth to air their views without intimidation.
6 Jul 2018
150 packs of sanitary pads were donated to young mothers between the ages of 13 and 24 years from Hwange. The donation was made by Women Arise and Shine in partnership with Maternity and New Born Care at St Ignatius Primary School this past Saturday 30 June 2018.
Louise Staddon, the Director of Women Arise and Shine expressed that the organisation is driven towards educating the vulnerable young mothers and promoting good hygiene.
She said, “It is sad to note that some of these girls use cloths and toilet paper during their menstruation cycles. Most of what they use is not advisable, unhygienic and leaves them at high risk of contracting diseases. We are glad to contribute towards making a difference to them and educating them about hygiene and sanitation.”
The two organisations took the opportunity to educate the teen mothers about different family planning methods, sexual abuse, gender-based violence and prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
Jane Tele, Director of Maternity and New Born Care urged young mothers to report any forms of abuse to the police and encouraged them to use family planning methods so as to prevent unplanned pregnancies.
“Most of these young mothers have had unplanned pregnancies due to lack of knowledge of family planning methods, hence l urge them to learn more about these methods and plan better for their future. They should also report any forms of abuse that they experience to the nearest police stations.”
The District Administrator of Hwange, Simon Muleya expressed gratitude towards Women Arise and Shine and Maternity and New Born Care stating that it was a marvel to see them intervening and helping the young mothers who cannot afford some essentials.
Muleya said, “On behalf of the beneficiaries l want to express my sincere gratitude for the work done by organisations operating in Hwange and may they continue to help the vulnerable young women whenever they can.”
The directors of the two organisations said they would continue helping girls and teen mothers through providing food, clothing and other relief services.
6 Jul 2018
Addressing the NANGO Eastern Region disability sector that attended the 6th edition of the National Disability Expo, Special Advisor to the President on Disability Issues, Joshua Malinga called on civil society and government do more to mainstream disability issues within their operations.
Malinga expressed concern over how state and non-state actors are doing little in their planning processes to factor in people with disabilities and are not bringing forward solutions to issues facing the marginalized group.
In his six months in office Malinga has managed to assist the government in mainstreaming disability issues within its operations. This will soon see the government unveiling a policy for people with disabilities. Malinga also said he looks forward to feedback platforms where the government comes in to inform the public on what has been addressed.
The following concerns were raised at the 6th Disability Expo:
6 Jul 2018
The National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO) and UNICEF commend the Zimbabwean government for its commitment towards improving budget transparency in Zimbabwe.
The commitment has been evidenced by the government’s adherence to Open Budget Survey (OBS) recommendations and meaningful participation on national and international forums.
NANGO, in partnership with UNICEF, convened a meeting on 19 June that brought together a panel comprising of Jacob Nyamadzawo, UNICEF Social Policy and Data Analyst, Percy Takavarasha, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development Deputy Director Recurrent, Brian Masawi, Deputy Director of Audit at the Auditor General’s Office and Kenny Chokuda the Clerk of Parliament to interact with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) from across the country. The panel concurred on the need for various stakeholders to complement each other in order to improve Zimbabwe’s ranking in the OBS.
Social Policy and Data Analyst, Nyamadzawo asserted that there is a need to have more information published so that every citizen understands the budget processes. He highlighted the need for transparency and improvement in terms of participation of children to attain child friendly budgets.
Takavarasha, Deputy Director Recurrent, said the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development has a platform that allows for members of the public, business sector, CSOs and other institutions to play an oversight role in budget processes. He added that the reason why Zimbabwe scored a low percentage of 23% on transparency of budget processes is that, there is poor turn out of citizens that participate. He therefore encouraged CSOs to create platforms and invite the ministry to share information.
The Deputy Director of Audit, Masawi stated that the role of the Auditor General is to audit financial performance of different ministries and then report to parliament. He said although the reports are bulky and expensive to print and distribute, individuals and institutions were welcome to request copies or visit their highly interactive website.
The Clerk of Parliament, Chokuda, mentioned that there are challenges in building capacity of all Members of Parliament to speak with the same voice regarding budget processes. In a bid to improve the effectiveness of the MPs, Chokuda said when the next parliamentarians sit there are plans to educate them on budget processes and their role in improving the country’s ranking.
116 countries from six continents participated in the 2017 round of the OBS then in May 2018, Zimbabwe, South Sudan and several other countries from the Eastern and Southern Africa Region (ESAR) participated in an OBS workshop in Nairobi-Kenya, co-organized by the IBP and the UNICEF ESAR office. Country delegates to this workshop discussed their 2017 OBS results and developed action plans to help improve their respective country scores in the upcoming 2019/20 round of the OBS. Amongst other things, the South Sudanese delegation to the Nairobi OBS workshop resolved to hold a National Budget Transparency Stakeholders’ workshop in Juba, South Sudan.
The National Budget Transparency Stakeholders’ workshop that was organised by Ministry of Finance and Planning (Budget Directorate) and UNICEF South Sudan (SPPME) then followed on 7 June 2018. The objective of the multi-stakeholder workshop was to orient the Executive, the Legislature, the Office of the Auditor General, and a selected group of OBS/public finance management stakeholders on key transparency themes pertaining to budgetary processes in the country, including on their respective roles in national budget processes.
The workshop was attended by NANGO Executive Director, Leonard Mandishara, Deputy Director of the Parliament Budget Office, Asha Jenje and Deputy Director Takavarasha. The heads of both the Specialised Committee on Accounts and the Committee on Economy, Finance and Development at the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, the Secretary General of the Government of South Sudan, and the Deputy Auditor General. In addition, in attendance were senior civil servants from the Ministry of Finance and the social sector institutions such as the Director General of Education and Health; Gender, WASH together with colleagues from their respective UNICEF sections, representatives of the UN World Food Programme, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and members of civil society organisations and the academia (e.g. University of Juba) were also in attendance.
In their presentation, the Zimbabwean delegation summarised their OBS processes and results, including how to identify what information is expected to be released during the budget process; identify the types of information required in the key budget documents to be comprehensive and useful; support parliament and civil society to use budget information and their engagement in budget process and engage civil society to support and contribute to government reforms.
Participants gained further insight and knowledge on the OBS and relevant processes, particularly in respect to establishing and maintaining relationship amongst key OBS stakeholders such as Ministry of Finance, the Parliament and CSOs. Importantly, the visiting delegation also shared their experience pertaining to the development and implementation of a public finance reform matrix in Zimbabwe, and as part this, the relevant OBS/PFM reforms being implemented in Zimbabwe.
The government of Zimbabwe has shown great commitment to reforms that can improve the country’s budget transparency. This is anchored on the understanding that national budgets that are accountable, efficient, and transparent are crucial in the fight against poverty, inequality and also promote economic development. Further, a transparent national budget is a key imperator for ensuring the fulfilment of rights of the marginalized communities and progress towards the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In addition, budget transparency leads to better-informed public debate about the design and results of fiscal policy, makes governments more accountable for budget implementation, and thereby strengthens credibility and public understanding of macroeconomic policies and choices.
The recently released 2017 OBS results, however classified Zimbabwe among countries that provide minimum budget information, with minimum opportunities for civil society and citizen participation in budgeting processes, as well as weak budget oversight. Zimbabwe is ranked 87 out of 115 countries, with a score of 23 over 100, a marked decline from 35 out of 100 in 2015.
On the back of declining scores, the country has taken key steps towards finding answers, including an all stakeholder workshop in Mutare, wherein, the key budget departments expressed commitment to take actions that improve budget transparency. Key actions identified included the need to prioritise publishing, online and in a timely manner, the pre-budget statement, executive’s budget proposal, enacted budget, citizen’s budget, in-year reports, mid-year review, year-end report and audit report.
In addition, the government committed to ensure that the Executive’s Budget Proposal that is posted online matches the printed version, increased information on expenditure and revenue provided in the Executive’s Budget Proposal by including expenditure by functional classification and individual sources of tax and non-tax revenue as well as ensuring that the published Enacted Budget has more information as in the Executive Budget.
This should be complemented by institutional arrangements for the OBS, supporting citizens’ engagement and capacity building or orientation of parliament.
The International Budget Partnership (IBP), in 2006 developed the OBS, which is a global research and advocacy program aimed at promoting public access to budget information and the adoption of accountable budget systems. The OBS is an objective, comprehensive, independent, global survey (the OBS) that analyses and evaluates whether governments give the public adequate access to budget information and opportunities to participate in the national budgeting process.
OBS is a biannual measure, anchored on three pillars: budget transparency; public access to key national budget information, public participation; opportunities for public participation in budget processes and budget oversight, the role of formal oversight institutions.
NANGO and UNICEF have been supporting the government efforts towards improving budget transparency as this is seen as an important step towards improving budgetary outcomes for the citizens, including the millions of women and children in Zimbabwe.
6 Jul 2018
A survey has revealed that residents recommend deharmonisation of poles. The current situation distorts elections and makes them more about political party affiliation than service delivery.
The Local Government Election Survey was conducted by We Pay You Deliver Consortium and focused on six cities, Bulawayo, Harare, Chitungwiza, Gweru, Mutare and Masvingo.
In Mutare at a launch of the survey, Dr Davison Muchadenyika asserted that the survey intended to find out the perceptions of eligible voters on the forthcoming 30 July elections, with a particular focus on local authority elections. Through the research it was realized that local authorities provide critical services such as water, sanitation, health, transport and education.
Another major highlight of the survey was the realization that local government elections are overshadowed by presidential elections, leading to voting on the basis of political affiliation rather than competence. The survey revealed that citizens do not really appreciate the fact that elections are an opportunity to change the course of service delivery as they do not fully understand the that role councilors play in city management and service provision, added Dr Muchadenyika.
As part of the survey recommendations, Dr Muchadenyika urged civil society organizations to be major stakeholders within the development agenda and ensure that citizens realize the value of their vote. There is need to raise awareness on the importance of local government elections to the electorate while fully expressing the nexus that exists between councilors and service delivery. Another potential area of collaboration was through dissemination of candidates’ profiles and their credentials and also organizing community assessment meetings to evaluate aspiring councilors.
Mayor Tatenda Nhemarare appreciated that the survey is inclusive and informative not only to the consortium or residents associations but to all stakeholders within the development sector. The councilor emphasized on the need for the local authority to work hand in hand with civil society organizations, because they gather crucial information that informs and influences policy formulation.
The launch presented findings of the Local Government Election survey, explained the context in which local government elections in Zimbabwe are conducted, raised awareness and presented expectations of the people towards the elections and lastly explained the process dynamics of elections.
The launch exhibited how CSO’s complement each other’s efforts with regards to social accountability through the engagement of stakeholders working in different thematic areas of programming. The engagement also served as a platform of dialogue where council officials explained council procedures and drew lessons for the future.
According to the researchers, conducting the research was a challenge due to the political climate in Zimbabwe at the time of the study. The political arena was volatile and respondents were not comfortable responding to contentious issues. However, there is optimism that in the future surveys will be more detailed in terms of perceptions of the citizens on issues to do with service delivery.
Plenary Session – by Mr. Nyamaropa (UMRRT)
Mrs. Matsanga, the Director of Simukai raised key questions that really changed the event as a whole. The first question was about the relationship between Central Government and the local authority. Clr Nhemarare, responded citing that indeed the local authorities are becoming obsolete through Central Government interference to the extent that buying a motor vehicle spare wheel has to first go through the State Procurement Board and financially Central Government through the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing stripped off the revenue collection powers of council through motor vehicle licensing and transferred them to ZINARA, which is highly problematic because ZINARA falls under a different parent Ministry all together.
The follow up question was then can local authorities be able to venture into Public Private Partnerships, considering that Bulawayo City Council is now building and selling low cost housing to the its citizens. Former City of Mutare Mayor, Clr Brian James, responded without chewing his words, emphasizing that City of Mutare needs to practice transparency and have accountable systems in place that makes its investor friendly and boosts its confidence with the banks to access loans and potential partnership ventures.
Mr. Ngwenya, NANGO Eastern Region Coordinator, asked on how much information gathered by Civil Society Organizations is being used to analyze the Sustainable Development Goals and whether they use this data to inform policy formulation? Dr Muchadenyika responded citing that Central Government has not formulated a framework that reflects to the SDG’s and it is their hope that the new Government sets up one.
Mrs. Mudiwa, Women’s Coalition Zimbabwe, Mutare Chapter Coordinator, raised an important question with regards to why women are underrepresented within council, yet the livelihood issues which emanate from poor service delivery greatly affect them. This question was not well responded to as it seemed to be a matter of political parties internal issues on women empowerment. However this presents a window of opportunity for civil society organizations to capacitate women on the importance of joining politics especially local government.
Conclusion
The local government elections survey report was an empirical research based on factual findings as shown during the discussions. It pointed out that in Zimbabwe; there is low prioritization of local government elections by both the voters themselves and the political parties, to the extent that councilors are not voted on competence but rather on political party affiliation. Devolution remains a major hindrance to the full realization of local government elections. There is need to raise awareness in the electorate especially with help from other civil society organizations on how the relevance of local government elections, because the majority of the services consumed by the electorate services rendered by the local authority. The delegates recommended the need to reconfigure the electoral law in Zimbabwe so that it recognizes the local government elections as different from the presidential one and that the prevailing situation presents itself as a window of opportunity for civil society organizations to raise awareness and assist the voters to make an informed decision based on factual engagement with the aspiring political office candidates than to vote on partisan lines.
29 Jul 2018
Good afternoon fellow Zimbabweans, local and international observers. My name is Wadzanayi Vere, the National Chairperson of NANGO and Head of Mission of the NANGO Election Observation Mission.
NANGO is the umbrella body of non-governmental organisations operating in Zimbabwe. It is an apolitical, non-profit making and non-denominational umbrella body of NGOs, founded in 1962. NANGO promotes a proactive community of NGOs that are responsive and committed to the sustainable development needs of all people in Zimbabwe and the full realization of human rights, democracy, good governance and poverty alleviation.
Yesterday, I gave press statement on the processes that NANGO has been facilitating together with is its membership to ensure that the 2018 harmonised elections are conducted in a free, fair and peaceful environment.
As we draw closer and closer to the elections day we note the zeal the nation has to exercise their democratic rights and the commitment by key stakeholders to holding free and fair elections. It is critical to note that elections provide an opportunity to shape the development trajectory the nation will take post elections. Thus, NANGO and its membership has also been analysing the promises that were made by various political parties to the electorate through their political manifestos. These are the issues that will transform the nation and bring about sustainable development.
As NANGO we view the elections as a process that is critical in redefining the path of social, economic and political development. Complimenting efforts by our members and Non State Actors such as Zimbabwe Elections Support Network, Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace, Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, Zimbabwe Council of Churches and many more. NANGO has deployed static observers in 364 polling stations in the country’s ten administrative provinces. Our observers will be static, meaning that they will be stationed at particular polling stations throughout the whole voting process.
I am happy to inform the nation that today NANGO observation team will be documenting the state of preparedness of ZEC to manage the election tomorrow. Key issues that will be considered include availability of all legally provided for material such as the voters roll, voting booths and tally sheets amongst others. Also our observers will take note how accessible the polling station is to people with disabilities, and that the stipulated polling station parameters have been cleaned of political party campaign materials.
Tomorrow our observers will be documenting the voting process, starting with the procedures of opening the poling stations, the voting, conduct of the voters and the general environmental polling conditions. Lastly our observation mission will witness the closing of polling stations, counting of the votes and transmission to the command centre.
NANGO implores all stakeholders to be peaceful and tolerant as we go to cast our votes tomorrow.
Thank you.
28 Jun 2018
Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) is implementing a Vendors Voices Project that is creating opportunities for policy engagement between Bulawayo City Council and informal traders. The project is funded by Trust Africa.
Vendors Voices Project uses formal and informal-strategies such as onsite digital age vendors trainings which equip informal traders with digital literacy skills like photography and video filming, use of social media platforms and use of smart mobile phones to report injustices. The project also makes use of Community Based Advocacy Teams (ComBATs), community mobilisation tools like policy engagement stokvels and other spaces for dialogue on issues affecting the informal traders.
The Vendors Voices Project has seen 83% of the participants trained in digital literacy opening Facebook and Twitter accounts to share and post information. As a result of these advocacy strategies, informal traders are engaging council and demanding better vending sites. In these dialogue spaces vendors have also called on the Bulawayo City Council to act on reported grievances.
Some issues that rile informal traders include overcrowding of vending sites and lack of toilets at sites that traders currently occupy. Some vendors that do have access to toilets close to their vending sites have passed complaints over the poor state of infrastructure and how the toilets pose health hazards.
Speaking to the BVTA Vendors Voice, Annoyance Musanhi said, “The lack of toilets in vending sites affects our operations. Customers hesitate to buy or do not buy at all because of the smell from the area. People relieve themselves at a nearby trench and there is obviously no place for them to wash their hands. This is unhygienic.”
Vendors have also vowed to confront Bulawayo City Council and push it to reduce exorbitant licence fees. Due to high vending licencing fees, most informal traders end up selling their wares illegally in undesignated sites. This results in violent raids by the Municipal Police and confiscation of goods, leading to loss of income and failure to fend for families.
The project continues to equip informal traders with knowledge of their rights and how they can meaningfully participate at local level decision making processes. BVTA will also continue imparting vendors with skills on advocacy and creating a number of accessible platforms for policy engagement between Bulawayo City Council and informal traders.
22 Jun 2018
NANGO commends the launch of the National Health Financing Policy and Zimbabwe Health Financing Strategy that was officiated by the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr David Parirenyatwa at Murehwa District Hospital on 6 June 2018.
The major drive for the Zimbabwe Health Financing Strategy and the Zimbabwe National Health Financing Policy is to address the challenges that people are facing in the health sector, these include failure to pay for health services, high out of pocket expenditure for health and low and unpredictable government allocations to the health sector.
The Zimbabwean government is mandated to deliver quality and equitable health services to the population of Zimbabwe with the desire to have the highest possible level of health and quality of life for all citizens. This is to be attained through the combined efforts of individuals, communities, organizations and the government. This will allow Zimbabweans to participate fully in the development of the country. This vision will be accomplished through guaranteeing every Zimbabwean access to an essential health service package.
In 2001, the African Union countries met and pledged to set a target of allocating at least 15% of their annual budgets to improving the health sector. In Zimbabwe the Abuja Agreement has not been achieved as the allocations have been ranging between 6 to 9%. Every year the health sector needs $1,3 billion to lessen the complaints on accessibility and affordability of medicines, gloves and other utilities. Human resource for health is key and there has to be appropriate drugs, correct infrastructure which includes equipment, buildings, X-ray machinery, transport and communication. The Ministry of Health and Child Care has therefore committed to the goals or key result areas which are; strengthening priority health programs, improving service delivery platforms or entities and improving the enabling environment for service delivery.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) together with technical cooperating partners which are the World Bank, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), the Health Development Fund (HDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) developed the Zimbabwe Health Financing Strategy and the Zimbabwe National Health Financing Policy. The target is to ensure that every one has access to quality health services irrespective of the geographic location or financial status, thus improving the health delivery system in Zimbabwe.
The Health Development Partners that are funding the Health Development Fund (HDF) have raised about US$120 million towards maternal and child health and the main aim of the HDF is to ensure equitable access to quality health services for women and children. The main goal is to contribute to reduction of the maternal mortality rate by 50% and under 5 mortalities by 50% by 2020. The main focus is to look at the efficient use of available resources in the health sector and also to promote equity and equality.
At the launch the Minister, Dr Parirenyatwa, stated that Zimbabwe has implemented various innovative financing reforms and some, like the AIDS levy, have been successful.
Zimbabwe was the first in the world to start the AIDS levy where 3% of every formally employed individual’s salary is channeled towards the AIDS levy and many countries are learning from it. Results based financing method is now being used and the health levy fund where 5 cents is taken from every $1 of airtime and channeled towards the health sector. The money that has been collected through this is estimated to be around $20 million.
CHAI expressed commitment to supporting implementation of the policy and strategy. The launch was a pathway for every Zimbabwean to have access to quality health services they require with minimal hindrances like distance or affordability and achieving this would require political will and technical support.
According to WHO, among countries that have completed their National Health Policy and National Health Strategy in the WHO AFRO Region, Zimbabwe is the 17th while other countries are still at planning stage.
There is hope that implementation of the National Health Financing Policy and Zimbabwe Health Financing Strategy will not be faced with lack of sustained government commitment, adequate human resources and lack of technical capacity.
The launch of the two was also attended by government officials, parliamentarians, CSOs, health development partners and donors.
