Binga wants ZEC material in Tonga

Binga (New Ziana) – One of the key issues to emerge from the recent voter registration exercise, is the need to provide literature in local languages.

An example is that of the Tonga community in Binga, which has appealed to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to provide electoral information and posters in their native Tonga language.

Under the 2013 Zimbabwe Constitution, Tonga is one of the 16 officially recognized languages used in the country.

However, most of the posters flighted in Binga by ZEC during the recent biometric voter registration exercise are written in either IsiNdebele or Chishona, which are not the Mother Language of the people in that part of the country.

Unhappy with the exclusion of their language by ZEC, some of the locals tore up the posters.

Explained the Independent candidate contesting for the Binga North Parliamentary seat, Disciple Munkuli: “We are facing a problem of language barrier with the information that ZEC distributed.

“ZEC put posters in different places in Binga, but these posters are written in IsiNdebele and ChiShona, yet very few people understand these languages. It is a sign of disrespect for the Tonga people.

“The language of instruction in schools in Binga is no longer IsiNdebele or ChiShona, therefore, there would be no one to interpret the electoral information to elders.

“It is critical for people to be communicated to in their own language and, they must have enough information about elections in a language they understand – their native language.

“We may have delayed making this call to ZEC, but we had hoped ZEC would bring posters written in Tonga, or even hold meetings in Binga to explain to the people the messaging on the posters.”

People, he explained, want to feel they have a voice, and, it is their right.

The four candidates vying for the Binga North Parliamentary seat are: Munkuli, an independent; Peggy Mudimba of the MDC Alliance; Kudakwashe Munsaka of Zanu PF; Clive Muzamba of United Democratic Alliance, and; Prince Dubeko Sibanda of Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).
New Ziana