Election Fees Hike Irks Zimbabwe Opposition Parties Preparing for 2023 General PollsThe Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s decision to hike election fees has sparked debate in Zimbabwe with most opponents saying this will shrink the ever-diminishing democratic space in the country, while others are backing the electoral body, noting that it will result in parties fielding high quality candidates in the 2023 general election. Professor Lovemore Madhuku, leader of the opposition National Constitutional Assembly, told VOA Zimbabwe Service that hiking the presidential candidates’ fees to US$20,000 is unconstitutional and a violation of Zimbabweans’ right to vote. Twenty-three candidates, who contested the 2018 presidential election, paid US$1,000 each. In an Extraordinary Gazette published on Friday, ZEC also increased nomination fees for aspiring Members of Parliament from US$50 to US1,000. People intending to contest the senatorial and council elections are now expected to fork out US$100 each. ZEC says the new fees was approved by the Minister of Justice, Ziyambi Ziyambi. The electoral body also announced new fees for accessing the electronic voters' roll and other versions of the voters’ register. ZEC says the cost of an electronic copy of the voters’ roll shall be US$150 for the national register. In 2017, a copy of the national electronic voters’ roll fetched US$200. Tafadzwa Mugwadi, informationa and communications director of the ruling ZANU PF, said the party has not yet discussed the new ZEC fees. Lawmaker Phulu of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change said the fees hike was unreasonable.