IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) Volume 13, Issue 6 (Jul. - Aug. 2013), PP 50-57 e-ISSN: 2279-0837, p-ISSN: 2279-0845. www.Iosrjournals.Org www.iosrjournals.org 50 | Page No Easy Walk Through Primary Elections for Rural Women in Zimbabwe Cowen Dziva 1 , Peter Makaye 2 and Brian Dube 3 1 (Department of Development studies, Zimbabwe Open University, Zimbabwe) 2 (Department of Development studies, Midlands State University, Zimbabwe) 3 (Department of Public Law, Midlands State University, Zimbabwe) Abstract : This research paper seeks to analyse rural gender imbalances in political participation during primary elections of major political parties in Zimbabwe.The study investigated factors militating against women‟s active participation in rural party politics, as voters and candidates in Mberengwa rural district. Regardless of the fact that women are the majority, who contribute a considerable share in rural economy, their meaningful participation and representation in decision-making processes is still very low. Rural women face challenges within and outside rural institutions that perpetuate inequality and protect the privileges enjoyed by men. Through secondary data review, as well as primary data collected through structured interviews and participant observations, this research found that the political, cultural, economic and social dynamics like inadequate education, lack of financial resources, cultural discrimination, low self-esteem, political party malpractices among others, account for low political participation of rural women in 2013 party primary elections. In order for Zimbabwe to comply with the constitution and international human rights obligations on improving women‟s political participation, the paper suggests, inter alia, full implementation of quota systems by parties, intra-party democracy and non-violence, gender-sensitive funding and political education programmes by government, political parties and advocacy NGOs. Keywords: elections, participation, rural women, politics. I. INTRODUCTION Women entering politics often find an uneven or even hostile political, public, cultural and social environment that deters them from winning. A quick glance at the current composition of political decision- makers in any political party provides evidence that women still face numerous obstacles in contemporary political landscape in Zimbabwe. Few women hold decision making positions as a result of the playing field existing in most political parties. This is happening despite well-documented efforts by states and non-state actors to ensure political equality between men and women. In Zimbabwe, the imbalance is more rife in rural areas than urban areas as statistics show that women comprised 19% of urban councillors and 18% of rural councillors in 2008 (UNDP 2008). While the political playing field in urban and rural areas has its own particular characteristics, one feature remains common to both: it is uneven and not conducive to women's active participation in issues shaping their everyday life. Against this background, this research attempts to answer the following questions: What are the obstacles faced by rural women in political participation during primary elections? How can women better cope with these stoppages? This article is envisaged to take a rung towards increasing rural women's politicking through ascertaining problems they face in political parties. The paper tries to answer the first aforementioned question by grouping factors in socio-economic and administrative/political sets. The paper ends by suggesting strategies which can be adopted by political parties and rural folk as they seek to deal decisively with the question of women participation in rural politics. Countless research on women participation in politics, Olufemi (2006), Schmidt (1987), Fisher (1997) and Uhunmwuangho (2011) try to grapple with problems faced by women in vying for political positions at parliament and executive levels during general elections. Those who tried to do so in rural Zimbabwe (Mupfeka 2008) however focused mainly on the factors that hinder women councillors from meaningful participation in council proceedings. These scholars failed dismally to note the need to research on women challenges in internal party-elections. Of particular interest, however, is the failure to note that paltry women councillors are a microcosm of the macrocosm challenges that they face in the run to party primary elections. Time and again political parties preach the importance of women participation in politics and presence in local governance, though together with political scientists, have failed to document, by default or otherwise, the causes and consequences of low women participation in Zimbabwe’s rural party politics. The country’s rural women are systematically marginalized from the drafting, development and implementation of political party policies and many related issues that directly affect their competitiveness with men. This research sought to fill this void by providing vivid evidence on women participation in rural party politics.