#ElectionsZW: Persons with disabilities to fill their vacant Senate seat on the 26th of March
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) says it is hoping to fill the vacant Senate seat that is reserved for persons with disability at the same time with the by-elections.
The by-elections are scheduled for the 26th of March this year to fill the various Parliamentary and local authority seats.
About 28 National Assembly seats are up for grabs while about 117 local authority seats are also in the hat.
Speaking at a ZEC meeting with the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs, which was organised by SAPST, chief elections officer Utoile Silaigwana said they desire to fill all the vacancies at the same time.
‘’The Commission is liaising with the director of social welfare and the National Disability Board in an endeavour to fill the vacancy among the PWDs in Senate following the death of an incumbent female senator in August 2021.
‘’It is anticipated that the filling of the vacancy will be harmonised with the 26 March by-elections.
Persons with disabilities who have two seats in the Senate have always advocated for more seats.
They argue that two people cannot effectively more than 2 million people who are said to be living with disabilities in the country.
Political parties in the country have also not been forthcoming when it comes to including persons with disabilities as candidates in both general and by-elections.
This is despite them making promises through their manifestos.
Disability activist Masimba Kuchera told OpenParly’s Tuesday-Talk that at times parties fail the inclusion test because it is expensive to implement.
He also highlighted the toxicity of Zimbabwean elections as another reason that put off persons with disabilities.
Elections in Zimbabwe have often been violent resuming in death or injury to some people. Just recently, a Citizens Coalition for Change activist was killed by a spear at a rally in Kwekwe.-
#ElectionsZW: Persons with disabilities to fill their vacant Senate seat on the 26th of March
