Gweru urban legislator, Brian Dube recently said the fact that Zimbabwe used about US$20 million for this year’s by-elections is evidence that democracy comes at a huge cost, especially for a collapsed economy.
Zimbabwe went to the polls in March and May to fill Parliamentary and local government seats that became vacant through recalls and or deaths.
Observers say the by-elections could have been avoided and the money could have transformed the lives of the general populace.
These observations were among the major findings of an investigation by the Zimbabwe Independent in collaboration with the Information for Development Trust (IDT) — A non-profit organisation that assists journalists in Zimbabwe and Southern Africa to probe issues of corruption and bad governance. Watch the video below for more:
Elections make a fundamental contribution to democratic governance because they enable voters to select leaders and to hold them accountable for their performance in office.
In the case of Zimbabwe, observers say the by-elections could have been avoided and the money could have been used on other developmental initiatives.
Most of the recalled MPs and or councillors were members of the MDC Alliance, then led by Nelson Chamisa, allegedly for ceasing to belong to the party that had given them a ticket into the 2018 elections, the MDC.
Some political analysts say there should be laws prohibiting political parties from recalling individuals elected by the people.