Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) staged a demonstration at Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) offices in Bulawayo against the candidate nomination fees.
ZEC’s nomination fees were gazetted through Statutory Instrument (SI 144) of 2022 which will see aspiring presidential candidates paying US$20 000, a 1 900 percent rise from US$1 000, while Members of Parliament will pay US$1 000, a 1 900 percent increase from US$50.
Proportional Representation (PR) lists for Parliament and Provincial councils must pay US$100.
The placard-waving MRP members said the fees were exorbitant and a violation of their freedom of participation in elections.
Some of the placards read ZEC nomination fees must fall, Zimbabwe is a crime scene and the ZEC nomination fees must be in line with minimum civil servants’ salaries.
Speaking to CITE, MRP Deputy National Organiser, Paul Ngwenya said the nomination fees are unfair for a democratic country.
“We are here at Windsor Park, ZEC registration centre to complain about the registration fees to be paid by candidates, US$1000 for Members of Parliament, US$100 for councillors. We think this is an unfair amount in a democratic country, we are simply saying ZEC should reconsider these figures and reduce these fees so that everyone can participate in the elections,” said Ngwenya.
In addition, Mfulongatshi Thembisani Mpofu said it is their right to participate in electoral processes and it shouldn’t look as if they are paying for it.
“We are here to air our discontent on the registration fees that were proposed by ZEC, we are saying as citizens and people from Mthwakazi, this money is too much. It is our right to vote, it shouldn’t look as if we are buying it or paying for it, thus why we came here to voice our grievances,” said Mpofu.
