By Lynette Manzini
Election watchdog, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN), has once again urged political parties to educate their supporters on the importance of by-elections.
The call comes after a low voter turnout in the Glenview South by-election held over the weekend of 12 April 2025, where only 4,833 voters participated in a constituency with approximately 29,696 registered voters.
During the 2023 general elections, over 15,000 voters turned out in the same constituency.
According to ZESN, the latest figures reflect a 17.2 percent voter turnout.
In its preliminary report on the by-election, the election watchdog implored political parties to encourage their supporters to participate in by-elections.
“Political parties should make efforts to increase the political literacy of their supporters so as to raise the level of interest in local authority elections.
“The turnout during the by-elections clearly indicates that voters seem to have less interest in by-elections,” read the report.
Zanu PF candidate Tsitsi Tawomhera won the Glenview South National Assembly by-election held on 12 April 2025. She won ahead of Mukanda Perpetua (NCA), Madzokere Tungamirai (Independent), Makwangadze George (Independent), and Chakaredza Tonderai (Independent).
This is not the first time ZESN has made such a call. In March 2024, it made similar appeals to political parties following poor turnout during by-elections for the Mt Pleasant Constituency (formerly represented by Fadzayi Mahere) and the Harare East Constituency (formerly represented by Norman Markham).
The seats became vacant following the resignations of Fadzayi Mahere and Norman Markham in solidarity with party leader Nelson Chamisa.
The Glenview South seat became vacant following the death of Grandmore Hakata of the Citizens Coalition for Change in January this year.
In Zimbabwe, by-elections occur when a party recalls an elected official or in the event of their death. They are held in accordance with Section 50 of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13).
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