A new round of elections for ZIMTA district officers has been set for 28 March 2023 in all the country’s 73 districts. ZIMTA is looking forward to holding elections that will ensure inclusivity of both women and men in a fair, transparent and professional manner which should result in a professionally run teachers’ trade union association. To facilitate the transparent and fair procedures, ZIMTA’s constitutionally mandated election committee has equipped some convenors per province to oversee processes and capacitate fellow district convenors during the elections process.
Throughout the month of March, election, invitations and notices will be shared on the ZIMTA website, its Newsletter and its social media platforms and also in the national newspapers.
Democratic ZIMTA started having its branch elections in 2022. During this time all ZIMTA branches reconstituted themselves and or elected new leadership altogether to ensure the smooth flow of ZIMTA processes, information and coordination of educator’s programmes and projects that will see the union being strengthened once more. All elections process were mandated to follow constitutional provisions and almost all branches were fully compliant.
It is a ZIMTA constitutional mandate that elections must be held to beginning with the lower structures of the organization and all the way up to higher structures of the union. Being a democratically run union, ZIMTA has four year long term cycles for all elected officers including the national executive body.
50 -50 Gender Policy
In an interview, the Elections Committee Chairperson Mr Gabriel Mhumha said the purpose of the elections meeting was to drill the convers on election procedures whilst ensuring that ZIMTA maintains its untainted value of professionalism and being the trade union of first choice in Zimbabwe.
Mhumha was confident that the procedures and processes will be followed to the latter. He said, “ after this training workshop , we expect everything to go on smoothly, we expect all educators to turn up in their numbers to participate in the ZIMTA District elections, where we expect to see quality and competent leadership emerging for the sake of driving the teachers’ agenda forward. Educators’ have a lot of needs at the moment, and they will be entrusting these with the district leadership which will be elected this March”
Mhumha was confident that the procedures and processes will be followed to the latter. He said, “ after this training workshop , we expect everything to go on smoothly, we expect all educators to turn up in their numbers to participate in the ZIMTA District elections, where we expect to see quality and competent leadership emerging for the sake of driving the teachers’ agenda forward. Educators’ have a lot of needs at the moment, and they will be entrusting these with the district leadership which will be elected this March”
Elections of ZIMTA officers are by secret ballot and all delegates shall be afforded an opportunity to vote for candidates of their choice. ZIMTA has a 50 – 50 gender policy, therefore women will also be expected to take up leadership posts alongside their male counterparts. Because women matter in ZIMTA, all delegation lists are expected to accommodate women participation
