The Election Resource Centre is advocating for the strengthening of civic education among the electorate with the intention of dealing with vote buying.
Although, it is regarded as an electoral malpractice, vote buying has become a common feature in the pre-electoral stage in Zimbabwe.
Reports have indicated that politicians engage in partisan distribution of food and distribution money to lure voters for their support.
According to Section 136 of the Electoral Act vote buying is illegal. The section maintains that any person who, ”shall be guilty of the offence of bribery and liable to a fine not exceeding level seven or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
However, well known culprits are yet to be brought to book.
On numerous occasions ZanuPF officials have been accused of using State resources to distribute food in a partisan manner especially in rural areas.
Multi-Liason Committees
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission sets up multi party liaison Committees that are supposed to address conflict, code of conduct, electoral malpractices but political players have dismissed the platform for its failure to handle issues.
In response ZEC has advised aggrieved stakeholders to approach the police if the committee fails to address election malpractices.
In an interview with Open Parly ZW, Election Resource Centre, Programmes Manager, Solomon Bobosibhunu said civic education can deal vote buying.
“It goes beyond voter education, it goes to civic education.
“My natural life as a citizen, do I even know that the person I am voting for who has given me a 10kg of mealie meal might not come back after winning or might only come back when they need the vote again.
“What will happen between now and the next 5 years with that mealie meal?
“Civic responsibility, is a civic duty where we need to teach each other that what we are worried about are the roads, the water, refuse collection, electricity, the health, jobs and the education. All these things are core to our survival.
Change Politics Of The Day
Furthermore, Bobosibunu said there was need to change the politics of the day to citizens supporting candidates financially instead of the other way round.
“Actually, citizens can support the candidate. Instead of the candidate coming with money it it is us the citizens who should give money to the candidate to campaign because we want them to sell their idea.
“Politics should actually change from us getting money from the candidate to us giving a dollar to the candidate to say, can you communicate your idea because we like it but in this case it’s the reverse probably because we are in a difficult situation.
Members of some political parties have been using online platforms to raise money for party campaigns and rallies.
