---
title: "Zimbabwe parliament approves $20,000 fee to appear on ballot"
description: "Zimbabwean lawmakers upheld plans to charge candidates for president $20,000 to appear on the ballot, and those running for parliament $1,000, despite a bid by the opposition to reduce the fees before a deadline next week for candidates to register."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-06-15-zimbabwe-parliament-approves-20000-fee-to-appear-on-ballot/"
published: "2023-06-15T14:15:59"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 160
---

# Zimbabwe parliament approves $20,000 fee to appear on ballot

> Zimbabwean lawmakers upheld plans to charge candidates for president $20,000 to appear on the ballot, and those running for parliament $1,000, despite a bid by the opposition to reduce the fees before a deadline next week for candidates to register.

By Reuters · Published 15 June 2023, 16:15 SAST

## Key points
- Zimbabwe's ruling party has implemented a 20-fold increase in election fees, sparking criticism from the opposition as they gear up for the presidential and parliamentary elections in August.
- Zimbabwe will hold its presidential and parliamentary elections on 23 August.
- The ruling ZANU-PF party has approved a 20-fold increase in election fees.
- The opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) argued that the measure would undermine the right to stand for office.
- President Emmerson Mnangagwa is seeking a second term, with his main rival being lawyer and pastor Nelson Chamisa of the CCC.

## Content

The fees, denominated in U.S. dollars, are a 20-fold increase from fees charged in the previous elections in 2018.

During a debate on Wednesday, parliamentarians of the ruling ZANU-PF party said the policy would ensure that only strong candidates run for office. They secured parliament's approval of the measure after the Constitutional Court ruled last week that lawmakers must debate it.

The opposition party Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) said the measure would undermine the right to stand for office, and had sought to reduce the fees in time for the 21 June registration deadline.

Zimbabwe will [hold](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL8N37P09A&linkedFromStory=true) its presidential and parliamentary elections on Aug. 23, battling a raging economic crisis.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, elected in 2018 after a coup that deposed Robert Mugabe the previous year, will be seeking a second term in office. The 80-year-old's main rival is lawyer and pastor Nelson Chamisa, 45, who leads the newly formed CCC.

(Reporting by Nyasha Chingono; Editing by Anait Miridzhanian)