SANF 13 No 20
Regional and international election observers have been deployed across the country to observe Zimbabwe’s landmark harmonized elections scheduled for 31 July.
At least 440 observers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Election Observer Mission (SEOM) will observe the Zimbabwe election.
The SEOM was launched in Harare on 15 July by Tanzanian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Bernard Membe, who is also head of the mission.
Membe said the observers would be deployed to all the 210 constituencies around Zimbabwe to ensure there is adequate coverage of the whole country.
“The mission leadership will in addition to the teams deployed engage in extensive consultations with the stakeholders so as to further understand on the various issues relating to the upcoming elections,” Membe said in a speech read on behalf of Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete who is the chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.
The expectations of the SEOM would be guided and measured mainly against provisions and requirements of the Zimbabwe Constitution and Electoral Act, as well as the SADC Treaty, the SADC Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation and the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections.
“Indeed, the holding of the 2013 Harmonized Elections in Zimbabwe marks a new era towards achieving lasting peace and stability in the country, thus creating an enabling environment for economic growth and sustainable development” SADC Executive Secretary Augusto Salomão said.
Traditionally, SEOM observation is undertaken in three phases: the pre-election period, election-day and post-election phases.
The SADC observer mission is expected to interact with other regional and international missions invited by the Zimbabwe government to monitor the elections.
These include the African Union (AU) observer mission, which is being led by former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo.
The 60-member AU mission was launched on 24 July to support a nine-member advance team that has been on the ground since 15 June.
The SADC Parliamentary Forum election observer mission, headed by His Royal Highness Prince Guduza Dlamini, Speaker of the National Assembly of Swaziland is made up of 60 members.
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) launched its 25-member election observer mission on 26 July, led by Ambassador Betheul Kiplagat from Kenya.
Kiplagat urged Zimbabweans to uphold peace before, during and after the elections.
In addition to regional and international missions, the elections will be observed by local civil society organisations and diplomatic missions accredited to Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe holds its harmonized elections on 31 July following a successful referendum that ushered in a new Constitution for the country.
The vast international interest in the forthcoming elections can be attributed to a number of reasons.
This is the first elections held under the new Constitution.
It is also the first after the dissolution of an inclusive government established in 2009 by the three main political parties – the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) of President Robert Mugabe and rival Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) formations led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Industry Minister Welshman Ncube.
The inclusive government was formed following SADC-brokered talks that ended a dispute over the outcome of a presidential run-off in 2008.
However, a lot has changed since 2008. For example, in March Zimbabwe held a referendum on the new Constitution, approved overwhelmingly by 93 percent of voters.
Election campaigning by all political parties has been active and relatively smooth with few incidents reported, and both Mugabe and Tsvangirai have called for peace and political tolerance during their election campaigns. Electoral stakeholders including the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the police have urged political players to ensure that Zimbabwe holds a peaceful and credible election. sardc.net
