Voters’ Perspectives on Elections (2011-2021): A Hermeneutic Study in Chadiza Constituency, Eastern Province, Zambia

Abstract

The study explored voters’ experience during elections from 2011 to 2021 in Chadiza District of Eastern Province, Zambia. The objectives of the study were: to establish causes of electoral violence, to describe effects of electoral violence and to establish mitigation measures to ameliorating electoral violence in Chadiza Constituency. This was a thematic analysis and used qualitative research method with 35 participants. In using the Hermeneutic phenomenology, the authors desired not to depart from personal opinions, experiences and value as aid to analyse and interpret collected data. Data was collected through interviews and Focus Group Discussion using purposive sampling. The results of the study were discussed in referential to thematic areas that emerged during data analysis and they established that voting experiences in Chadiza were characterised by electoral violence. The factors that caused electoral violence and effects of electoral violence were revealed by the study. The collected data helped in formulation of sustainable electoral violence prevention measures. The study recommended that the Electoral Commission of Zambia ought to bridge the gap between Ideal and real elections by applying appropriate measures that would lead to cost effective elections that over rides or reduce elections nullifications.