EDWIN MOYO
Gweru- Zimbabwe Election Support Network, (ZESN) has encouraged women to take part in electoral processes and to develop the skillset to assume leadership positions.
The call was made by ZESN Midlands Province chairperson, Mejury Makunere during a women empowerment engagement meeting organised by Ebenezer Trust in Gweru last week.
Makunere said it was important for women and girls to know how the election cycle moves.
She added that for women to be able to lead and even to take leaders into account they were supposed to be capacitated on best practices of accountability and transparency.
“As ZESN our core business is to educate you the electorate so that you understand how, the election cycle moves. At first, we have to understand what comes first, whereby we are required to register to vote, and in this phase which is the pre-election phase and on this phase registration blitz is opened as Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC) goes around registering new voters.
“Then the other phase, is the election phase whereby we go on the day and cast our votes. And this is an important day where we all go out to exercise our right as citizens. Then this is followed by a post-election phase where we say, the results are announced and if there are any complaints they are handled or re run is held,” she added.
Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development ( ZIMCODD) Midlands Province coordinator, Gracia Mashingaidze said the leaders elected by women play a pivotal role in how public finance are used.
“Know that as women we are citizens, and we have a serious role that we play in elections as we go out to choose representatives who will present our grievances in local authorities, National Assembly, Senate and office of the presidency among others.
“It is these people, who will be in charge of your national purse. The smooth flow of development depends on the characteristics and leadership abilities of these people.
“So, as we attend local authority budgets or national budget consultations lets know how the leaders, we choose are budgeting our money.
“Let’s be at the forefront of engaging these office bearers on Public Finance Management ( PFM) as our involvement then help in shaping what we want.
“Last week Gweru City Council engaged residents on USD billing. Only a few residents knew about it because we take it for granted that they do the proper thing, let’s take ownership of such consultation processes,” said Mashingaidze.
