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Ranga Mataire-Group Political Editor
The Government’s invitation of multiple observer groups from around the world has made today’s election one of the most open and most watched polls on the continent in recent times.
The Government invited a total of 46 countries, 17 organisations and two prominent individuals to observe the 2023 harmonised elections, Foreign Affairs and International Trade spokesperson, Mr Livit Mugejo has said.
Mr Mugejo said all the fifteen Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) countries were invited and are currently observing the elections.
Besides the individual country invitations, the Government also invited the SADC Electoral Commission, the African Union Commission, the Pan-African Parliament and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
Invitations were also extended to international organisations that include the Africa Caribbean and Pacific Group (ACP), the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, the European Union Commission, the European Union Parliament, the Non-Aligned Movement and the Commonwealth group.
Specific invitations to individual countries were sent to Belarus, Norway, Russia, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, North American countries, Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Some South American countries currently in the country observing elections are Brazil, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Venezuela while in the Caribbean invitations were extended to Cuba, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Grenada.
From Australia and Pacific countries, invitations were extended to Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Asian countries that are accredited to observe the elections are China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Palestine, South Korea and Thailand.
Former liberation movements in the SADC region are also part of the election observers in the countries. These include the African National Congress (ANC) from South Africa, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM-Tanzania), Frelimo (Mozambique), Swapo (Namibia), MPLA (Angola) and the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) from Botswana.
There are two eminent persons that have been invited at the discretion of His Excellency, President Mnangagwa, to observe the elections.
“Diplomatic missions bilaterally accredited to Zimbabwe (five diplomats per embassy) have been accredited upon request from the embassies. However, only diplomats accredited on a full time basis, and not those on temporary assignments were accredited,” said Mr Mugejo.
On individuals that have been denied accreditation or denied entry into the country, Mr Mugejo said the people might have had challenges with the Department of Immigration and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade was not privy to.
This is the second time since the advent of the Second Republic that the Commonwealth and the European Union have been invited to observe the elections after more than two decades of frosty relations.
Observers are critical in ensuring that the elections meet international standards. The Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC) says election observation is a process “of information gathering or fact-finding aimed at reaching an informed judgement about the credibility, legitimacy and acceptability of the electoral process and its outcome.”
Although elections in the country are a product of the Constitution, the country adheres to the SADC Principles and Guidelines for holding democratic elections. The principles and guidelines are part of the necessary regional peer review exercise for gauging the country’s observance of democratic tenets expected in holding elections.
In briefings with observers, ZEC urged the groups to familiarise themselves with the country’s Electoral Act and adhere to the provisions of a Code of Conduct in the exercise of their duties.
The Code of Conduct obliges observers to obey the lawful instructions of electoral officers and not obstruct or accost any voter at a polling station or on his or her way to the polling station. They are also not allowed to interview any voter at a polling station or do anything that compromises the secrecy of the ballot.
Observers such as the EU Observer Mission and the those from the region have stressed that they will not interfere with voting.
Online Reporter