Zimbabwe Diaspora Vote Initiative Creates GoFundMe to raise funds for Court Case for Diaspora Vote

It is our view that Zimbabweans living outside the country need to be treated equally as they all contribute to the well-being of the country, whether they work for the Government of Zimbabwe or work for businesses and institutions in their domiciled countries.

In 2018, President Mnangagwa told Zimbabweans who he met with on the side lines of the United Nations General Assembly that under his leadership, Government was going to work to ensure Zimbabweans living in the Diaspora could vote in 2023. The following year, in what many thought was a move towards implementing the President’s pledge, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi said Government was instituting research to establish diaspora voting patterns in other countries in order to work on the legislative changes that would allow diaspora voting:

We want to commission a study to see how other jurisdictions are implementing the

Diaspora vote and hopefully we will be done with that by June 2020,” said Minister Ziyambi.

Zimbabwe Diaspora Vote Initiative Chairperson Rosewiter Mangiroza said the situation was getting desperate and measurers had to be taken to ensure that the objective is achieved.

“We cannot continue to wait for government do this noble work at its own pace, so we will use all possible means to lobby for the fulfilment of our voting rights. We have engaged legislators in the lobbying process, are prepared to discuss with the President what challenges he has faced in fulfilling his 2018 promise, and have also resolved to approach the courts”, said Mangiroza.

To help raise funds for the legal challenge, the development of a Private Member’s Bill and other expenses, the Zimbabwe Diaspora Vote Initiative has created a GoFundMe account to mobilise resources.

“We are appealing to all progressive forces to support us in this endeavour”, said Fundraising Coordinator Frank Chikowore.

Well-wishers can support through the GoFundMe on the link Fundraiser by Frank Chikowore : Urgent Appeal: Zimbabweans are demanding their right to vote

The Zimbabwe Diaspora Vote Initiative is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organisation bringing together Zimbabweans who are interested in exercising their constitutional right to vote. It is registered in Australia, and hopes to register in other parts of the world.

For further information about the Zimbabwe Diaspora Vote Initiative or the GoFundMe project, contact any one of the following:

1. Rosewiter Mangirosza, Chairperson +61 481 262 557
2. Padmore Kufa, Spokesperson +61 414 477 659
3. Frank Chikowore, Fundraiser +61 410 945 261

Reference

Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi on preparations for Diaspora Vote. See link:  Zimbabwe Government considers diaspora vote – FurtherAfrica