By Daniel Chigundu
Women’s representation in the National Assembly has suffered another blow as males are dominating the Youth Quota.
The youth quota are 10 seats that were created in the National Assembly for young people through Constitution Amendment No.2.
However, according to the list of elected candidates published in the Government Gazette by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), males got 7 seats while females got 3 seats.
The three seats for females went to Lovejoy Sibanda in Matabeleland North (CCC), Lindarose Naledi Maunganidze in Masvingo (Zanu PF) and Evidence Sivina Zana in Bulawayo (CCC).
Women in Zimbabwe have generally been the biggest losers in the 2023 general elections which saw only 70 women contesting in the Parliamentary elections compared to 237 in 2018.
From the 70 that participated, only 21 managed to win their seats.
As if that was not enough, the 2023 general elections saw only female candidate competing for President against 10 males.
The other women who were aspiring were affected the exorbitant nomination fees that was being demanded by ZEC.
Women in Zimabwe largely lack resources to effectively participate in national process such as elections due to the huge financial requirement.
The other young people who have been elected under the youth quota include Takudzwa Godfrey Ngadziore in Harare (CCC), Stanley Sakupwanya in Manicaland (Zanu PF), Emmerson Raradza in Mashonaland Central (Zanu PF), Titus Tawanda Mudowo in Mashonaland East (Zanu PF), Carl Mutsawashe Ziyambi in Mashonaland West (Zanu PF), Tafadzwa Tinashe Mushipe in Matabeleland South (Zanu PF) and David Kudakwashe Mnangagwa in Midlands (Zanu PF).
Meanwhile, Zanu PF has gotten the lion’s share of the seats following its good performance in both the Parliamentary and Presidential elections.
Zanu PF has 7 seats while Citizens Coalition for Change has 3 seats.
Currently, the seats are only available to young people who belong to political parties, because they are awarded basing on the part’s performance in general elections.
