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President Mnangagwa is walking the talk on reforms and anyone who wins Monday’s harmonised elections would have done so freely, the Association of Free Research and International Cooperation (AFRIC) said yesterday.
AFRIC is a community of independent researchers, experts and activists from countries such Germany, Ukraine, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, Cape Verde, Mongolia, South Africa and Mozambique.
The organisation has 43 observers who are in the country for the polls.
Some of them have been in the country for 40 days to assess the pre-election environment.
AFRIC head of delegation Professor Jose Matemulane said the environment was conducive for credible polls as the pre-election atmosphere had been non-violent.
“We have been in the country for 40 days and moved around the country and the assessment is good,” he said.
“It is peaceful. I felt the security. It is not about seeing it but also feeling it. I can’t even compare with other countries but for now it is one of the safest places to be.”
He said from their assessment, President Mnangagwa was sticking to his promises of a free, fair and credible election.
“He is walking the talk for sure,” said Prof Matemulane.
“Some of the measures and policies he announced are being implemented. Zimbabweans now have a chance to figure what they need through the ballot. Zimbabweans are waiting for this moment.”
He said they were in the country to “balance the informational space bringing impartial and reliable opinions, free of speculations and attempts to delegitimise the election process.”
“Our presence in Zimbabwe aims to fulfil the goals of acting as the real embassy of transparency and legitimacy of the upcoming election process,” Prof Matemulane said.
“We fully share and strongly embrace the belief that African problems require African solutions on the contrary to ‘Euro or Amero-Africanised’ solutions which are brought and implemented by Western States financing organisations and are used to get incredible profits for themselves.”
President of Honour of Prussian Society from Germany Mr Volker Tschapke commended Zimbabweans for maintaining peace.
He is part of the AFRIC Observer Mission.
“I could see on the television in Germany what happened a few months (transition) here,” said Mr Tschapke.
“It is something unique. We have never had that in the world because it was totally peaceful and there was no drop of blood. This is a very important foundation for the coming elections. We are proud and it is very critical that we are here and see what is going on. What we have realised is good. It is like a mood before Christmas, everybody is happy about what is coming. It is very peaceful. I am grateful that I am a partner of this historic moment of Zimbabwe. I pray for Zimbabwe this election and wish all the best.”
Many observer missions have hailed the peaceful pre-election environment.
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