The internet and promotion of citizen participation in the Zimbabwean Democratisation process : views of dispe4rsed Zimbabwean citizens in South Africa

Abstract

This study examines the use of Internet to enhance citizen participation m Zimbabwe focusing on the Zimbabweans dispersed in South Africa. It aims to critically examine the overall role played by the Internet in the democratisation process in Zimbabwe. The study presumes the view that as Information and Communication Technologies become more accessible and affordable, more people are able to easily coordinate, organise and participate in the public sphere. It also examines the current concerns of Zimbabwean citizens in relation to their rights to freedom of expression and access to information. The study looks at the increase in Internet diffusion and the rise of new diverse media platforms and how these can empower citizens to participate in the political realm. It is assumed that new technologies have great implications for political societies, playing a great role in facilitating political action, the creation and maintenance of a vibrant public sphere, giving ordinary citizens the ability to share information, mobilise, campaign and maintain a critical eye on their leaders. However caution should be taken not to over emphasise these positive outcomes of Internet use because they are contextually based. The application of the Internet in an endeavour to advance democracy has not yielded the same results world over. In some instances the same technology has been manipulated and abused by authoritarian governments to thwart democracy. In this respect several counteractive methods have been put in place by authoritarian governments for instance, legislation in response to online challenges posed by new media. At the same time the study also deliberates on the legitimate role the media should play be it in a democracy or in an authoritarian government. It is significant to note that Internet has the potential to facilitate the development of civil society and democracy in situations like those in Zimbabwe. However, the limitations of the Internet as a public sphere must also be recognised. The capacity of the Internet to revolutionise political participation and civil life is dependent on other factors like access,. ownership, reliability and socioeconomic and political context of a country. Hence, it is of great importance to note that the potential of the Internet in enhancing democracy should not be exaggerated because its capacity is dependent on other factors. The outcomes of its application in different places for instance in the North have not been the same in the South such that its role in the democratisation process is debatable. Interviews were conducted with Zimbabwean citizens living in South Africa to establish the participants' views and opinions with regard to the use of Internet for citizen participation.