UZA President Elisabeth Valerio Cries Foul Over US$20 000 Candidate Fees

United Zimbabwe Alliance (UZA) president Elisabeth Valerio has condemned the ZANU PF-dominated Parliament’s recent decision to uphold exorbitant candidate nomination fees pegged by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).

Valerio said that the nomination fees will make it hard for some aspiring candidates to contest in the 23 August elections as they cannot afford the fees. She was quoted by ZimLive as saying:

Our party is worried about the latest development because the opportunity for candidates to contest in this election is being compromised by the exorbitant fees.

Contesting in elections should not be the preserve of the elite and this latest development by parliament is segregatory.

It strips away all possibility for participation by potential election contestants who may not have the required resources…

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The stance taken by the ZANU PF-dominated Parliament simply proves the usual complaint that ZEC is not independent but an agent or mouthpiece of ZANU PF.

It shows clearly that the exorbitant fees originated from ZANU PF headquarters and were merely passed on to ZEC to announce.

The Constitution of Zimbabwe is clear that the state should ensure that its citizens’ political rights are protected and these include running for political office.

When running for political office becomes a preserve of the rich, we are no longer guaranteeing the political rights of citizens.

According to Statutory Instrument (SI) 144 of 2022, candidates must pay US$1 000 to run for parliamentary seats and US$20 000 to run for president.

The leader of the Nationalists Alliance Party (NAP), Divine Mhambi-Hove successfully challenged the nomination fees through the courts.

The Constitutional Court ordered Parliament to scrutinise them for their legality or lack of.

However, Parliament’s Legal Committee (PLC), which is made up of five members, three of whom are ZANU PF members, approved the nomination fees.

More: Pindula News