The December 9th by-elections in Matabeleland were marred by a disappointingly low voter turnout, with the highest constituency recording only 38.5%.
The low turnout was also attributed to a deliberate boycott by voters in response to the High Court’s decision to bar opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) candidates from contesting.
This exclusion, based on a legal challenge by Sengezo Tshabangu, effectively disenfranchised a significant portion of the electorate. The absence of their preferred candidates on the ballot likely discouraged many voters from participating.
In an interview with CITE, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) Chief Elections Officer, Utloile Slaigwana, said by-elections ordinarily attract low percentages of voters.
“According to the statistics we have been gathering countrywide, some places had at least 40 percent of their voters coming to vote but in other areas the turnout was very low. We know that ordinarily, by-elections attract lower percentages when it comes to voter turnout.”
According to statistics released by the Election Resource Centre (ERC), the average turnout across all constituencies was 20.3%, with urban areas experiencing even lower participation at just 13.6%. Rural polling stations fared better, averaging 36.3% turnout.
The constituency with the highest voter turnout was Lupane East with 38.5 percent, followed by Binga North which had 34.1 percent. Beitbridge West had 21.7 percent.
In Bulawayo, the highest recorded turnout was just 14.5% in Mpopoma-Mzilikazi, followed closely by Nketa and Cowdray Park with 14.3% and 14.1% respectively.
Lobengula-Magwegwe Constituency had an even lower turnout of 13.4%, and the lowest turnout was recorded in Bulawayo South at a meagre 12%.
