Zimbabweans abroad push for vote, launch urgent funding drive

The Zimbabwe Diaspora Vote Initiative says it plans to challenge the exclusion of Zimbabweans abroad from participating in national elections, while also sponsoring a private member’s bill in Parliament ahead of the country’s 2028 general elections.

The organisation, which operates as a non-profit, said frustration remains high among diaspora communities following a 2018 pledge by President Emmerson Mnangagwa that citizens abroad would be allowed to vote in the 2023 harmonised elections — a promise that did not materialise.

With the next election cycle approaching, the group says it is seeking to ensure Zimbabweans living abroad can participate in the democratic process from their countries of residence.

It argues that extending voting rights to the diaspora would strengthen democratic participation and better reflect the will of all citizens.

Promote and strengthen democracy

“Inclusion of the diaspora vote would help promote and strengthen democracy and ensure Zimbabwe is led by a government that truly reflects the democratic will of its people,” said the organisation’s fundraising co-ordinator Frank Chikowore.

The initiative plans to approach the courts to challenge existing restrictions while simultaneously drafting legislation for submission to Parliament.

However, it says it currently lacks the financial resources to proceed with these processes and has launched an urgent fundraising appeal for AU$20,000 to cover legal fees, bill drafting and administrative costs. The funds will be used to instruct lawyers to prepare and file court papers and to support the drafting of a proposed diaspora voting bill.

Diaspora voting has long been a contentious issue in Zimbabwean politics, with critics arguing that millions of citizens living abroad remain excluded from shaping national outcomes despite contributing significantly through remittances.

Diaspora remittances

As reported by Further Africa, remittances sent by Zimbabweans in the diaspora climbed by about 14% year-on-year to an estimated US$2.45 billion in 2025, according to official data, with the bulk of inflows originating from the United Kingdom and South Africa.

The figures reflect a growing reality for policymakers and investors: diaspora earnings are no longer peripheral, but a significant component of the country’s macroeconomic landscape.

“The government cannot be happy to have our money when it is denying us the right to vote. The constitution is very clear that every Zimbabwean has a right to vote – and this includes Zimbabweans in the diaspora.

“It is strange that authorities in Zimbabwe are allowing postal ballots from diplomats at Zimbabwe embassies abroad but they are refusing the same rights to Zimbabweans where those embassies are,” Chikowore said.

He added: “As Zimbabweans living outside the country’s borders, we are contributing at least $2.45 billion annually in diaspora remittances but we find it strange that we are not allowed to participate in electoral processes in our country.”