By Tatenda Chitagu

On August 23, 2023, Zimbabwe will hold harmonised presidential, parliamentary and local government polls.

A re-run is set for October 2 if there is no outright winner in the presidential election.

There are 210 constituencies and 1 970 local authority wards that are up for grabs.

So far, the ruling ZANU PF party has bagged 92 council seats after opposition political parties failed to field candidates in some wards.

Who is running for president:

Eleven candidates successfully filed their nomination papers for the top post.

These are President Emmerson Mnangagwa (Zanu PF), Nelson Chamisa (CCC), Douglas Mwonzora (MDC), Joseph Makamba Busha (FZC) Trust Chikohora (ZCPD) Blessing Kasiyamhuru (ZPP), Saviour Kasukuwere (independent) Lovemore Madhuku (NCA), Wilbert Mubaiwa NPC, Gwinyai Henry Muzorewa (UANC), and Wilson Harry Peter (DOP.)

There were more candidates who were prevented from contesting due to US$20 000 nomination fee required by the electoral management body, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.

Other candidates unhappy with the amount challenged the ‘exorbitant’ fees at the court to no avail.

Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, who is Mnangagwa’s election agent, is on record saying the fee is reasonable and those who cannot raise it have no business running the country.

A notable casualty of the prohibitive fee is Egypt Dzinemunenzva of the Forces for the Liberation Organisation of Africa National Party (FLOANP).

Dzinemunhenzva has in the past religiously contested the presidential elections, albeit with nothing to show for it since the 90s.

In the 2018 elections, he and a record 22 other candidates were vying for the presidency, leaving voters to contend with a bloated ballot box.

Despite this avalanche of presidential aspirants, the election turned out to be a two horse race featuring Chamisa and Mnangagwa, with the latter winning by a thin margin, sparking an unsuccessful legal challenge.

How are the winners determined?

According to Zimbabwe’s constitution, a presidential candidate needs to get more than 50 percent of the vote in order to be declared a winner, failure of which there will be a run-off between the top two.

The situation is however different for parliament and council candidates as the first-past-the-post criteria is used, that is, the one with most votes is declared the winner.

When will the results be announced?

The constitution prescribes that the results should be announced within five days after polling ends.

What about the electoral playing field?

Diplomats, civic society, independent election watchdogs and the opposition say the electoral playing field is not level and is skewed in favour of ZANU PF.

ZANU PF enjoys unfettered positive coverage in the state media, while the only coverage the opposition gets on state media tends to be negative. There have been arrests and prolonged pre-trial detention of opposition members deemed critical of government. Citizen Coalition for Change Member of Parliament Job Sikhala is an example.

Electoral reforms and re-composition of ZEC have never been implemented by Mnangagwa, raising fears of another disputed election.

ZANU PF, which conflates government and party business, is accused of using state resources like government farming inputs to gain an edge over the opposition.

In a worst case scenario, according to rights groups, ZANU PF turns to intimidation and violence, especially in the rural areas where it used to get much support.

However, the opposition CCC also enjoys support from the youths as well as the urban populace. In recent years, it has also managed to penetrate the rural areas.

The bad state of the economy, as well as an expose by Qatar-based news channel Al Jazeera of grand looting of minerals by top ZANU PF officials-which sucked in Mnangagwa and his wife-could work in the opposition’s favour.