By Correspondent
Female politicians struggled once again in the recent election as only one politician out of 33 was directly elected in the Zibagwe Rural District Council (ZRDC).
Idirashe Dongo, from ZANU-PF, is the only elected councilor.
She was elected for her second term for Ward 30 unopposed.
Dongo was also elected unopposed to the position of Council Vice Chair.
However, due to the Proportional Representation quota, ZRDC has 10 female councilors.
This brings the total number of councilors in the RDC to 43.
Of the total, 38 are Zanu-PF while 5 are from CCC.
Dongo has a long history in advocating for the empowerment of female politicians.
Currently she is the Chairperson of the Midlands Province Women in Local Government Forum.
In the last term she was also the council Gender Committee chairperson.
“I believe that these spaces give me the opportunity to encourage women to participate in politics.
“I also think I will give women and girls a voice, particularly those in marginalized spaces like the rural areas where I come from”, she indicated.
Pastors4ED
Dongo was part of a group that successfully lobbied President Emmerson Mnangagwa, to support the 30% quota for women in local government in 2020.
The 30% local government quota has since been passed into law through section 277 of the Zimbabwean Constitution.
In the just ended election Dongo hogged the limelight as she steered the formation of the divisive Pastors4ED.
However she defended the initiative.
Dongo said there was nothing untoward about pastors supporting the President.