21 women win seats in 2023 Parliamentary elections #ElectionsZW
Only 21 women have won Parliamentary seats in the 2023 general elections that took place on the 23rd of August.
There are 210 seats that are contested for in Zimbabwe’s Parliament, where the number of women has been on a downward trend in the past decade.
The 21 are part of the 70 women that managed to get nominated to contest in the 2023 general elections.
There were 637 candidates vying for Parliament in 2023, drawn from all political parties and those who stood as independent candidates.
The figures of candidates are a drop from the 2018 figure where there were 237 women which is about 14%, compared to about 11% released in 2023.
In 2018 25 women won their Parliamentary seats in the general election.
Zanu PF has 11, while Citizens Coalition for Change has 10 among the winners.
The winning legislators are: Flora Buka (Gokwe-Nembudziya), Sithembiso Nyoni (Nkayi North), Mercy Dinha (Zvimba West), Barbara Rwodzi (Chirumhanzi), Angeline Gata (Mutema Musikavanhu), Tatenda Mavetera (Chikomba West), Prisca Moyo (Mwenezi West), Sheila Chokomo ( Mwenezi South), Marian Chombo (Zvimba North), Musa Ncube (Tsholotsho South), Lynette Karenyi (Chikanga), Nicola Watson (Bulawayo South), Judith Tobaiwa (Kwekwe Central), Susan Matsunga (Budiriro North), Joanna Mamombe (Harare West), Bridget Nyandoro (Southerton), Fadzai Mahere (Mount Pleasant), Minehle Gumende (Bulawayo North), Maureen Kademaunga (Sunningdale) and Sichelesile Mahlangu (Pumula).
Meanwhile, Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (WALPE) has called on political parties to do more for women.
‘’Going forward, it is imperative that political parties not only incorporate clauses on gender equality into their internal documents, and policies as a way of ensuring that women are adequately represented in leadership and decisions making positions, but also demonstrate a political will and sincerity to the achievement of equality,’’ said WALPE.
