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The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) has revealed that the EU’s decision to withdraw funding from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) was due to the Zimbabwean authorities’ lack of cooperation during the electoral period, reported <a href="https://cite.org.zw/eu-cites-snub-by-zim-authorities-as-key-factor-in-zec-funding-withdrawal/">CITE</a>.
In September, the EU Embassy in Harare announced that Brussels would withdraw US$5 million in financial support from ZEC because of a lack of independence and transparency in conducting the August 2023 Harmonised Elections.
Responding to questions about whether the EU will refund Zimbabwe soon after presenting the EU EOM’s final report on Zimbabwe’s 2023 Harmonised elections from Brussels online on Friday, Chief Observer -Fabio Massimo Castaldo said:
Well, let me say that the decision of freezing the financial cooperation and the technical cooperation was taken by the EU delegation on the ground, according to the fact that as I said, there was a lack of cooperation by the competent authorities…
<blockquote>
At this point, I cannot tell you if some moment there will be a decision again to relaunch a cooperation.
I would say that everything is in the hands of the competent authorities.
If (the EU) sees positive signs, and changes (in) approach, probably there could be the possibility to reconsider that.
But it is not my duty to express any other analysis and decision in that regard because I am the chief observer for our electoral mission and this is a political decision that is going to be held by the EU delegation and our External Action Service -all the authorities that have the duty and the rights to do that.
</blockquote>
The EU EOM was among other missions that condemned the way the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission ran the August polls.
The Southern Africa Development Community Election Observer Mission (SEOM) said the elections fell short of the regional body’s electoral guidelines.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi claimed that the SADC and EU EOM reports were drafted by the same person intending to manipulate Zimbabwe’s election results the way they wanted.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/2023/11/18/president-mnangagwa-reverses-the-appointment-of-general-valerio-sibanda-to-zanu-pf-politburo/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Zimbabwe Government's Lack Of Cooperation Key Factor In ZEC Funding Withdrawal - EU

<div>The Government of Zimbabwe, through the Minister of  Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi, has accused the European Union Election Observer Mission (EU EOM) of going beyond its mandate.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Responding to the EU EOM final report on the 23-24 August harmonised elections at a press conference in Harare on Saturday, Ziyambi said the EU election observers strayed from their mandate by dictating to Zimbabwe how the country’s institutions and legislative framework should be structured.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Ziyambi criticised the EU EOM final report that was presented the by mission’s head, Fabio Massimo Castaldo online from Brussels, Belgium, saying it was biased towards the opposition. Said Ziyambi:</div>
<blockquote>
<div>Observers come to observe. So, when observers meet a group of people who didn’t follow the due process of satisfying the requirements of the law in terms of their gatherings, they simply observe and take note of what that particular individual has said.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Likewise, if they meet a group of people that are complaining that the other side is doing this, whether that complaint borders on an illegality on the act of the other party, they will simply note it. That is what observation is all about.</div>
</blockquote>
<div>He said election observers should not be confused with election monitors. Said Ziyambi:</div>
<blockquote>
<div>So, as Government, we are actually surprised that observers think that they are actually monitors, or they are here to change our laws.</div>
</blockquote>
<div>Presenting the mission’s final report on the elections on Friday, Castaldo said the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s (ZEC) and the judiciary’s perceived political bias, as well as the actions of the Forever Associates of Zimbabwe (FAZ), undermined the credibility of the polls.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The EU EOM report also criticised recent laws that it said eroded the separation of powers and limited civic and political freedoms. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The laws noted in the report include the so-called Patriotic Act, the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) bill and the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MPOA) which the EU EOM said closed space for the exercise of freedoms of association, assembly, and expression.</div>
<div>
The EU EOM provided 21 recommendations, listing seven as priority which the mission said may bring comprehensive and meaningful electoral reforms.
The recommendations include; enhancing election organisation and management in Zimbabwe, maintaining ZEC and its staff independence, providing timely and thorough information to the public, and protecting the freedom to assemble.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/2023/11/18/president-mnangagwa-reverses-the-appointment-of-general-valerio-sibanda-to-zanu-pf-politburo/">Pindula News</a>
</div>

Govt Says EU Election Observer Mission Strayed From Its Mandate

The European Union Election Observer Mission (EU EOM) to Zimbabwe’s August 2023 Harmonised Elections reiterated its earlier position that the elections fell short of regional and international standards.
Presenting the mission’s final report on the elections on Friday, 17 November, Fabio Massimo Castaldo, who headed the EU EOM delegation, said the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s (ZEC) and the judiciary’s perceived political bias, as well as the actions of the Forever Associates of Zimbabwe (FAZ), undermined the credibility of the polls.
Castaldo presented the final report online from Brussels, the administrative centre of the European Union (EU) on Friday. Part of the report read:
<blockquote>
The procedures during voting were largely followed, as noted by EU EOM observers, but some important processes, such as the public posting of polling station result protocols, were not consistently implemented, especially during the counting.
Overall, results management was efficiently organised; however, certain reporting mechanisms lacked transparency.
The judiciary played a key role in the process. All legal instruments regulating the election and all key phases of the process were challenged before the court.
The acute lack of confidence expressed by many interlocutors in the judiciary raised concerns about the role of courts in settling electoral disputes and public confidence in its rulings.
</blockquote>
The EU EOM report also criticised recent laws that it said eroded the separation of powers and limited civic and political freedoms. Read the report:
<blockquote>
Moreover, laws recently passed eroded the separation of powers and curtailed the rights of assembly, association, and expression, limiting the civic and political space.
The regulatory framework is insufficient and lacks important procedural details. ZEC’s inconsistent publication of its regulations compromised principles of transparency, accessibility, and legal certainty.
</blockquote>
The laws noted in the report include the so-called Patriotic Act, the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) bill and the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MPOA) which the EU EOM said closed space for the exercise of freedoms of association, assembly, and expression.
The observer mission also criticised the absence of publicly available data, disaggregated by polling stations, which hampered the independent verification of election results. Read the report:
<blockquote>
The ZEC chairperson announced the presidential results on 26 August, declaring Mr. Mnangagwa elected with 52.6 percent of the valid votes, followed by Mr. (Nelson) Chamisa with 44 percent.
Despite requests from opposition and civil society and the practice in previous elections, ZEC did not publish election results per polling station.
The lack of public access to disaggregated results, combined with police actions against CSOs conducting result projections, prevented stakeholders from verifying the final results and impacted the public acceptance of the electoral process and diminished ZEC’s accountability.
</blockquote>
The EU EOM provided 21 recommendations, listing seven as priority which the mission said may bring comprehensive and meaningful electoral reforms.
The recommendations include; enhancing election organisation and management in Zimbabwe, maintaining ZEC and its staff independence, providing timely and thorough information to the public, and protecting the freedom to assemble.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/2023/11/18/president-mnangagwa-reverses-the-appointment-of-general-valerio-sibanda-to-zanu-pf-politburo/">Pindula News</a>

EU Election Observation Mission Report Says Zimbabwe's August 2023 Elections Were Flawed

The Government of Zimbabwe reportedly blocked the European Union Election Observer Mission (EU EOM) from presenting its final report on the 23 August 2023 Harmonised Elections in the country, reported <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/govt-blocked-election-observer-mission-from-presenting-final-report-in-zimbabwe-eu/">NewZimbabwe.com</a>.
The EU EOM claimed that Harare imposed a lot of restrictions on its delegation which resulted in the report being presented in Brussels, Belgium.
The EU dispatched an election observer mission in July after an invitation from the Government.
As part of its mission duty, the EU EOM intended to return to Zimbabwe to present the final election report and meet with the various political stakeholders.
Harare was angered by the election observer mission’s report which condemned the manner in which the elections were held and blocked its return to the country.
Presenting the final report in Brussels, EU EOM head of delegation Fabio Massimo Castaldo said:
<blockquote>
The EU EOM was meant to return to the country some three months after the elections.
The purpose of the return visit was, as is standard practice, to present the mission’s final report to the authorities and public within the country.
The EU EOM would also discuss the conclusions and recommendations with local stakeholders in the country to determine possible ways forward to implement the recommendations and of course engage in cooperation if that is the will.
The return visit of the EU EOM to Zimbabwe was foreseen and arrangements were signed by the EU delegation and the Zimbabwean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
Unfortunately, the conditions did not allow for it to take place. Prior to the deployment of the mission, it became clear that the Zimbabwean authorities lacked the political will to allow the EU EOM visit to be carried out according to its longstanding methodology.
</blockquote>
Castaldo also claimed that during his delegation’s mission, the EU EOM found it difficult to meet key election stakeholders, describing the development as “unprecedented”. He said:
<blockquote>
The mission faced significant challenges to meet with officials at a national level despite repeated requests.
This includes, just to give an example, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) which the EU EOM was able to meet once in all our observation.
It was unfortunately equally unavailable for the meetings with the chief observer and European Parliament delegation while other observer organisations were granted repeated access several times.
Such behavior is unprecedented in my long time as a politician, parliamentarian, and as an observer.
This is really something that really surprised me and shocked me at the same time.
</blockquote>
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesperson, George Charamba castigated the EU EOM report and said the observer mission had a position before it was even deployed to Zimbabwe for the elections.
Charamba was responding to journalist Zenzele Ndebele who had asked if Zimbabwe’s refusal to allow the EU EOM to return to the country to present its final report meant that the reengagement and engagement were not working.
Below is Charamba’s full response to Ndebele <a href="https://x.com/dhonzamusoro007/status/1725457055694082166?s=20">posted on X on Friday</a>, 17 November:
<blockquote>
To assist you Babalaza: First, the EU wanted to bring in a whole phalanx into Zimbabwe merely to read out their so-called Final Report which, in reality, is a PRE-ELECTION REPORT TO THE EXTENT IT MERELY CRYSTALLISED THEIR PRE-CONCEPTIONS ABOUT ELECTORAL ZIMBABWE. We conceded!
Next, they wanted a bigger part of that team to come several days ahead as if they were coming in for a second election observation.
Why, in this good world, does merely reading a report require enormous numbers, a greater part of which comes in advance? And this is a country in which the EU has a whole Mission which is fully staffed?
If you look at the modest surrounds – a table, chairs and persons flanking the head – does that require huge numbers, let alone an advance team of such big numbers?
Whilst we believe and pursue RE-ENGAGEMENT, that must never be taken as an excuse to ride roughshod over our sovereignty.
Or an admission we are MORE SINNING THAN SINNED AGAINST. ZIMBABWE is a sovereign country; it will never bend over backwards to please blocs that seek to traduce or trample over its sovereignty. That must sink deep into the European Union.
After all their conduct during the Harmonised Elections was not that inspiring. They will not be missed an iota!
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/2023/11/18/president-mnangagwa-reverses-the-appointment-of-general-valerio-sibanda-to-zanu-pf-politburo/">Pindula News</a>

EU Says Government Blocked Election Observer Mission From Presenting Final Report In Zimbabwe

CCC Nelson Chamisa has rejected the SADC Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM) to Zimbabwe’s recommendation that aggrieved parties should approach courts to resolve disputes emanating from the 2023 Harmonised Elections.
The SEOM released its final report on Zimbabwe’s elections on Thursday, 12 October, and handed a copy to the Government of Zimbabwe.
Posting on X this Monday, 16 October, CCC’s self-proclaimed Change Champion in Chief said the opposition will not utilise domestic remedies, as recommended by SADC, saying they have proved incapable of resolving the “long-standing national crisis”. He wrote:
<blockquote>
The SADC Final Report on Zimbabwe’s Harmonised Elections is a powerful affirmation of the consensus that exists among the majority of Zimbabweans (both rural and urban) that the conduct of the August 23 Elections flagrantly violated the Constitution of Zimbabwe, Electoral Laws and SADC Guidelines and Principles on Elections.
As the Report itself notes in its Recommendations and other sections, there are still outstanding recommendations from 2018 on the lack of impartiality of the key institutions.
In addition to this, the Report itself highlights a litany of very serious and brazen breaches which resulted in SEOM concluding that the Elections fell short of the standards highlighted above.
Given the above developments, based on the Report’s own findings, domestic remedies cannot be a credible response and are therefore clearly inadequate and incapable of resolving this long-standing national crisis.
For those reasons, the citizens of Zimbabwe will not rest until a permanent solution and lasting political settlement have been found to address all their long-standing political grievances, pursuant to achieving a just, stable, peaceful, prosperous and democratic Zimbabwe.
No amount of bare denials, deflections, use of proxies, diversionary tactics, subterfuge and political side shows will take our eyes off the ball.
Citizens are entitled to be led by a government that truly reflects the will of the people having been chosen in a free, fair and credible election.
Our resolve is not shaken. Our Will can not be broken. The citizens will not be silenced. Our struggle is just and legitimate. It is a citizens’ project, a people’s struggle for majority rule!
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Chamisa Rejects SADC Election Observers' Recommendation

The Government of Zimbabwe has said it received the SADC Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM) final report last Thursday and will give a response in due course.
In a statement on Friday, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Amon Murwira said the Government is currently studying the report and will either accept or reject its recommendations. He said:
<blockquote>
We received the SADC report yesterday (Thursday) and we will give our response. We are reading it.
As a report of election observations, it will come with its recommendations, which we will either accept or reject, but it is important to have comments on a report.
All that needs to be known is that it is not a legal instrument. It is peer-reviewed, so we can accept or rebut it.
</blockquote>
In its final report on the Zimbabwe 2023 Harmonised Elections, SEOM urged aggrieved parties to approach courts to resolve disputes emanating from the polls. It said:
<blockquote>
The SEOM calls for all concerned parties to ensure that any grievances with respect to the election results are channelled through the appropriate legal processes to ensure the exhaustion of domestic legal remedies.
The SEOM noted that … some aspects of the Harmonised Elections fell short of the requirements of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the Electoral Act, and the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021).
The SEOM commends political leaders for spreading the messages of peace and non-violence throughout the electoral cycle.
</blockquote>
The opposition CCC led by Nelson Chamisa has been calling for a fresh election after SEOM said some aspects of the polls fell short of the requirements of Zimbabwe’s laws and SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections.
These included the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC)’s failure to avail voting materials to some polling stations on voting day, violence and intimidation of voters, banning of opposition rallies, and a controversial delimitation of electoral boundaries, among others.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Zimbabwe Confirms Receipt Of SADC Election Observers' Final Report

Scores of election observers who were contracted by the Zimbabwe Elections Support Network (ZESN) to observe the 23 August Harmonised Elections are yet to be paid, a <a href="https://www.sundaynews.co.zw/zesn-fails-to-pay-election-observers/">Sunday News</a> report claims.
The observers, who said they have failed to get an audience with ZESN, are threatening legal action.
When contacted for comment by the publication, the person who answered the ZESN National Director Rindai Chipfunde Vava’s mobile phone said:
<blockquote>
She is in a meeting, you can contact the chairperson, and I will send you their name.
But what I know is that payments are ongoing, even ZEC is still doing payments.
</blockquote>
One of the affected observers said they were promised that payments would be made by the 30th of August. Said the observer:
<blockquote>
A lot of us have not received their payments for the work we did on election day.
We were contracted to be election observers during the August general elections.
We signed contracts that they were going to pay us US$65, US$60 for observing the election, and US$5 was supposed to be for airtime.
They had also said they were going to offer us lunch on the day and they told us that on the 30th of August 2023, we would have been paid.
It’s now, a month later we have not received our money for the work we did, and we are being told stories every day about our payments.
They told us that Econet was withholding our monies, people are disgruntled that we did the work and now we are not getting paid.
When we contacted Econet about the issue, they said they were not aware of the development, they said if anything a company that deposits its funds through the USD Ecocash platform is able to pay its own people.
They said they have no role to play in the distribution of funds to individuals.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

ZESN Fails To Pay Election Observers | Report

SADC Heads of State are set to debate the contents of a damning report by the SADC Election Observer Mission (SEOM) on Zimbabwe’s 2023 Harmonised Elections, reported <a href="https://www.zimlive.com/ramaphosa-confirms-sadc-plans-to-hold-summit-over-zimbabwe-poll-report/">ZimLive</a>.
Zimbabwean authorities and representatives of the SADC election observer mission are expected to make presentations to the SADC Heads of State.
This was revealed on Wednesday by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa while speaking to SABC on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78) in New York.
According to the preliminary report by SEOM, Zimbabwe’s 23 August 2023 Harmonised Elections did not meet regional and international benchmarks governing the running of credible polls.
Ramaphosa came under scrutiny at home and abroad for both congratulating and attending Mnangagwa’s inauguration.
In fact, Ramaphosa was among only three SADC Heads of State who attended Mnangagwa’s inauguration, there other two being the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Felix Tshisekedi and Mozambique’s Filipe Nyusi. Said Ramaphosa:
<blockquote>
If one looks at that report, it actually says there were challenges; challenges with regards to a number of things that have got to do with the election.
Many countries throughout the world have such challenges; the United States is a prime example with regards to the last election.
They (observers) have said in the report, as I read it, that certain things need to be improved.
They have not declared the election as invalid, unfree and unfair; they have highlighted certain challenges.
What was said by representatives of the observer mission still has to be discussed in SADC because it’s not a final report.
Those are challenges that need to be addressed.
Well, there is a lack of transparency, they (observers) need to come up with the details and I would say, yes, let the details be put forward so that we can deal with them.
So, we are waiting to receive that report at the SADC level so that we can deal with it because if anything, it was an interim report.
So, once the report is put to the SADC body, we will then debate it and we will also hear representations from Zimbabwe as well as the SADC observer mission.
</blockquote>
Meanwhile, Mnangagwa met Ramaphosa, Nyusi, and SADC chair, Angolan President João Lourenço, in New York on Wednesday.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Ramaphosa Says Observers Never Declared Zimbabwe Elections Unfree And Unfair

The secessionist opposition political party, Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP), said that the preliminary report by the SADC Electoral Observer Mission (SEOM) which criticised Zimbabwe’s 2023 Harmonised Elections should not come as a surprise.
MRP leader Mqondisi Moyo said the electoral irregularities highlighted by SEOM were a feature in all elections held in Zimbabwe since the attainment of independence in 1980.
In a letter seen by <a href="https://cite.org.zw/zim-has-been-holding-unfair-elections-since-1980-mrp/">CITE</a>, addressed to SEOM Head Nevers Mumba on August 31, 2023, Moyo first congratulated the SADC team for successfully observing the 23 August Harmonised Elections in Zimbabwe. He said:
<blockquote>
I noted from your Preliminary Statement that Zimbabwean elections fell short of meeting both SADC and Zimbabwean elections guidelines in many respects. This has been the case since 1980 when the country attained independence.
</blockquote>
Moyo, however, sought to draw SEOM’s attention to what MRP refers to as Mthwakazi, that is, the South Western part of Zimbabwe covering Matabeleland provinces and part of Midlands. He said:
<blockquote>
But even if elections were “free and fair,” Zimbabwean politics would still remain grossly unfair to the people of Mthwakazi.
</blockquote>
In the letter, Moyo claimed that the people of “Mthwakazi” have suffered since 1893 when people in Matabeleland, which was then an independent state, were defeated by the British South Africa Company (BSAC) forces. He added:
<blockquote>
In 1923, we suffered yet another demise, the forceful amalgamation of our country with Mashonaland. In 1980, our colonial status was transferred from Britain to Zimbabwe.
</blockquote>
Moyo said people in Matabeleland endured a Zimbabwean government-led “genocide” in reference to the Gukurahundi killings between 1982 and 1987. He said:
<blockquote>
About 40 000 of our people perished. It is sad that SADC didn’t bother to pay any attention to what was happening in Mthwakazi.
That was despite its role of ensuring the safety of people in Southern Africa.
</blockquote>
Moyo implored SADC to intervene and facilitate the creation of a new State covering Matabeleland and parts of Midlands provinces, separate from Zimbabwe.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Mthwakazi Activist Commends SADC Election Observers

The Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Election Observer Mission (SEOM), Dr. Nevers Mumba, has defended the preliminary report on Zimbabwe’s 23 August 2023 Harmonised Elections.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) declared President Emmerson Mnangagwa the winner with 52.6 percent of the total votes cast, while his closest challenger Nelson Chamisa clinched 44 percent of the votes.
In the SEOM preliminary report, Mumba’s team highlighted various concerns, including voting delays, the banning of opposition rallies, and biased state media coverage during the electoral process.
However, the report was heavily criticised by Mnangagwa’s party, ZANU PF, and State-controlled media in Zimbabwe.
Appearing on ZNBC’s Sunday Interview, Mumba said the report he presented on the Zimbabwe elections was not a personal opinion but rather a reflection of the findings of the SADC observer mission. <a href="https://www.lusakatimes.com/2023/09/04/dr-nevers-mumba-stands-firm-on-zimbabwe-election-report/">He said</a>:
<blockquote>
When we go into a country, we do not observe elections as individuals but as representatives of SADC. The task of the SADC observer mission was to audit the election. I never sided with Chamisa.
</blockquote>
Mumba said the report adhered to SADC’s guidelines and principles. He stressed his unwavering commitment to fairness and justice, saying the mission carried out its role with integrity.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

SADC Election Observer Mission Chairman, Nevers Mumba Stands Firm On Zimbabwe Election Report

The Zimbabwean government has asked the SADC Election Observer Mission (SEOM), to alter its preliminary report by removing parts that criticised the manner in which the 23 and 24 August Harmonised Elections were conducted, <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200015901/change-your-adverse-report-govt-tells-sadc">reported NewsDay</a>.
Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Amon Murwira, told ambassadors from the SADC region that SEOM should operate within the confines of the Constitutions and laws of member States.
This comes after the SEOM condemned ZEC’s delimitation report and the disqualification of Saviour Kasukuwere from the presidential race.
In a diplomatic statement read to ambassadors from Zambia, Angola, Botswana and Tanzania who attended the briefing, Murwira said:
<blockquote>
It is our understanding that SADC respects the sovereignty of member States and that SEOM as its subsidiary operates within the confines of the Constitutions and laws of member States, which are passed by sovereign Parliaments.
We don’t believe it is in the remit of SEOM to question or interfere with member States’ Constitutions, laws, and court decisions passed by their sovereign democratic institutions…
Zimbabwe has full confidence that the errors cited in the SEOM report will be corrected with the view of ensuring the intended beneficial contribution to strengthening the electoral processes of member States, including Zimbabwe.
</blockquote>
On Saturday, 26 August, ZEC chairperson Priscilla Makanyara Chigumba announced that President Emmerson Mnangagwa had retained the presidency by a 52.6% margin.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Zimbabwe Tells SADC Election Observers To Correct Adverse Report

President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Sunday morning rejected allegations by the opposition that the 2023 presidential election was rigged in his favour.
He also said observer missions that criticised the country’s laws “overstepped” their mandate.
Mnangagwa addressed reporters at State House the morning after the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) announced him as the winner with 52.6% of the poll, beating CCC’s Nelson Chamisa’s 44%.
Asked to respond to allegations by his competitors that the election was shameful and neither free nor fair, Mnangagwa said:
<blockquote>
I can assure you that I did not conduct the elections. I competed with them in this race to win the elections.
Those who feel the race was not run fairly, should know where to go to complain.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe’s 2023 Harmonised Elections were criticised by the SADC observer mission, which said some parts of the electoral process fell short of standards. SEOM head Nevers Mumba said:
<blockquote>
The mission observed that the pre-election and voting phases of the 23-24 August harmonised elections were peaceful and calm.
However, the mission noted that some aspects of the harmonised elections fell short of the requirements of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the Electoral Act and SADC principles governing democratic elections.
</blockquote>
Mumba, a former Vice President of Zambia, also criticised Zimbabwean laws, including the “Patriotic Act” which is a new section of the amended criminal law that punishes Zimbabweans for conniving with foreigners to push for sanctions and foreign military intervention.
However, speaking to journalists this Sunday, Mnangagwa said that the election observers should not have an opinion on Zimbabwean laws. He said:
<blockquote>
I’m aware that some observer missions went beyond their call of duty and began interrogation legislation passed by our Parliament.
It is my view that every sovereign state passes legislation through its legislature, and Zimbabwe is no exception.
I don’t think it’s in the mandate of election observers to interrogate institutions of a sovereign government, the judiciary, or the legislature.
I believe their mandate is to observe the transparency, peacefulness and conduct of the elections.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

I Did Not Run This Election, I Was A Participant, Says Mnangagwa

The Commonwealth Observer Group to the 2023 Zimbabwe Harmonised Elections issued its Interim Statement at a press conference in Harare.
It follows elections in the country on 23 and 24 August.
Voting had been scheduled to take place on 23 August but was extended to 24 August in some areas due to the late arrival of ballot papers.
The Group’s Chair, Ambassador Amina Mohamed, praised Zimbabweans for the largely peaceful approach in the run-up to and on election days.
The Group was invited to observe the 2023 Harmonised Elections by Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
The Group will submit a final report to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, The Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland QC, which will be subsequently shared with pertinent parties and made publicly available.  Part of the report on the activities forever Associate Zimbabwe (FAZ) group, reads:
<blockquote>
We observed and received various reports, that an NGO called Forever Associate Zimbabwe (FAZ), had set up “exit poll survey” tables in close proximity to polling stations, with governing party regalia. From our briefings with other civil society organisations and stakeholders, it was made clear that exit polling is currently not permitted within the legal framework of Zimbabwe…
Our observers witnessed tables set up in close proximity by an organisation called Forever Associate Zimbabwe (FAZ) and received reports that members of the organisation were allegedly recording the names and ID numbers of voters. We also noted that members of FAZ were also conducting citizen observation. Their presence fuelled allegations of voter intimidation.
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://thecommonwealth.org/interim-statement-commonwealth-observer-group-2023-zimbabwe-harmonised-elections">Read the full interim report</a></li>
<li><a href="https://production-new-commonwealth-files.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2023-08/Interim%20Statement%20ZIMBABWE[65]_0.pdf?VersionId=NZ_kaSMjah6J7GA2wbG1K2xmGMpqzzyA" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Download a PDF version of the interim report</a></li>
</ul>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Commonwealth Observers Release Interim Report On Zimbabwe elections

The head of the SADC Election Observer Mission (SEOM), Nevers Mumba has expressed concern over the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC)’s failure to deliver ballot papers on time.
Voting was extended to 24 August at some polling stations due to delays in the delivery of ballot papers.
Addressing reporters after visiting some polling stations on Wednesday, Mumba said it was “very strange” that voting material arrived late. <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200015725/poll-start-delays-worry-observers">He said</a>:
<blockquote>
We are concerned about that. The ballot papers should have been here way ahead of time. That is the constitutional provision of Zimbabwe.
We were assured that material was going to be available in all the polling stations way ahead of this morning.
This is very strange for us to find out that in some polling stations, voting material came in late.
That is one aspect we are going to interrogate during this process.
</blockquote>
ZEC acknowledged the delays but blamed the many court cases in the run-up to the elections.
Harare and Bulawayo metropolitan provinces, which are perceived opposition strongholds, were the most affected.
In Harare, only 23% of the polling stations opened on time, while in Bulawayo, 25% of the polling stations failed to open on time.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

SADC Election Observers Express Concern Over Poll Start Delays

Fadzayi Mahere, the national spokesperson of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), has raised concerns about a possible rigging attempt at Hiller Road Polling Station in Harare. In a series of messages, Mahere provided updates on the situation:
In her initial post, Mahere reported that the polling agents have completed the vote count at the Hiller Rd polling stations. However, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) was refusing to release the V11 forms, stating that they are awaiting instructions from higher authorities. These polling stations include the ones at the barracks, Tomlinson Depot, and Morris Depot.
Mahere then reported that polling officers at Tent CA Hiller Rd claimed that they couldn’t release the V11 forms because the presiding officer was unavailable as they were taking a bath. Mahere’s polling agents decided to wait until the forms were released and refused to leave.
She later reported that at Tent AA Hiller Rd, ZEC was not filling in the V11 forms due to discrepancies in the number of postal votes compared to the initial count. ZEC stated that they needed further instructions before proceeding. Mahere’s agent remained present.
Mahere raised concerns that ZEC had displayed a V11 form at Tent CA but was refusing to provide a copy. Mahere emphasized that it was their right to have access to the form to ensure transparency. Mahere reported:
<blockquote>
International observers have started arriving at the Hiller Rd tents. Eight v11s remain outstanding. ZEC has extra postal ballots &amp; are awaiting instructions on how to allocate them. However, v11s have been signed. Any further corrections are illegal. #StopTheRig
</blockquote>
Voting commenced on the 23rd of August 2023 across the majority of the country, with notable delays occurring in Bulawayo and Harare, known as strongholds of the opposition. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) cited the absence of local government voting slips and the inadvertent swapping of logos between the ruling ZANU PF and CCC on certain ballot papers, leading to the suspension of the voting process. In response, President Emmerson Mnangagwa extended the duration of voting by an additional day to make up for the time lost.
<h3><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h3>

Zimbabwe 2023 Elections: Mahere Raises Rigging Concerns At A Harare Polling Station

An observer team from The Carter Center, a United States-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), has said the majority of its members have been denied accreditation by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
In a statement issued less than 24 hours before voting starts in Zimbabwe’s general elections, The Carter Center said 30 of its 48 short-term observers still have not received accreditation. It said:
<blockquote>
Despite the Zimbabwean government’s invitation to launch an election observation mission for the August 23 elections, 30 of The Carter Center’s 48 short-term observers still have not received accreditation from Zimbabwean authorities.
This delay in accreditation is unprecedented in its 30-plus years of observing elections.
It represents a severe and unwarranted obstruction to the Center’s mission, inconsistent with commonly recognized and respected norms and practices.
</blockquote>
The Carter Center has appealed to Zimbabwean authorities to grant its observers accreditation this Tuesday, 22 August, saying continued delay will “hinder its ability” to successfully conduct its duties. It said:
<blockquote>
The Center requests that accreditation for these observers be given today, August 22, so it can fulfill its mission to provide an impartial assessment of the election.
Any further delay in accreditation will prevent the Center from deploying these observers and will hinder its ability to observe polling, counting, and tabulation in many locations.
</blockquote>
On Monday, <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/2023/08/22/kazembe-warns-mischief-makers-during-and-after-elections/">Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Kazembe Kazembe, alleged that some international players are working with local players</a> to deploy people in Zimbabwe disguised as election observers or researchers in order to engage in activities that threaten peace in the country.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

United States Election Observers Denied Accreditation By ZEC

The European Union (EU) has deployed 44 short-term observers to Zimbabwe’s 23 August general elections across the country’s ten provinces.
The short-term observers were deployed on Sunday, becoming the third contingent from the EU, following the core team and 46 long-term observers, which arrived in the country earlier in July.
In total, the EU election observer mission will comprise about 150 observers from all 27 member states, as well as Canada, Norway and Switzerland, reported <a href="https://newziana.co.zw/2023/08/20/eu-deploys-44-short-term-election-observers/">New Ziana</a>.
Addressing reporters, European Union Election Observer Mission (EU EOM) Chief Observer Fabio Massimo Castaldo said that the team will follow voting, counting, collation of results and the electoral environment in both rural and urban areas. He said:
<blockquote>
The short-term observers will cover all ten provinces in both, urban and rural areas. Together with the other EU election observer mission, they will be the eyes and the ears of the mission on Election Day during polling, counting and collation of results. They will also pay attention to the election environment.
EU observers will be visiting many polling stations from the opening to the closing of the polls and follow also the collation of results. They will however not interfere in the process. They are here to observe and not to supervise.
</blockquote>
Before their deployment, the short-term observers received a two-day in-depth briefing in Harare on the electoral background, voting procedures, the political environment, code of conduct and other topics.
Zimbabwe holds presidential, parliamentary and local government elections on 23 August 2023, with the ruling ZANU PF and the opposition CCC the main contenders.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

European Union Deploys 44 Short Term Election Observers

CCC leader Nelson Chamisa said that he held meetings with the SADC Election Observer Mission where he briefed the regional body about an alleged plot by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to rig the upcoming general elections, reported <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/opposition-leader-chamisa-details-massive-anomalies-in-meeting-with-sadc-as-eu-commonwealth-engagements-beckon/">NewZimbabwe.com</a>.
Addressing thousands of CCC supporters at a campaign rally at White City Stadium in Bulawayo on Sunday, 20 August, Chamisa said the opposition party will not allow Mnangagwa to rig this year’s elections. Said Chamisa:
<blockquote>
I have had meetings with SADC, and I have briefed them on the challenges we have. I told them that Mnangagwa is not preparing to win, he is plotting to rig.
I told SADC that he stole the election in 2018 but this time I will not allow him to steal it again.
I told them Zimbabwe is the next SADC chair and they should get ready to welcome me.
I told them that up to this day, we do not have a voters’ roll that is searchable.
But remember I am a former ICT Minister, we have cracked the PDF format they gave us and now know what they are trying to do, we will not allow them to steal our votes, never.
I told them that I have not yet seen the ballot paper, we have requested from ZEC that we agree on the ballot, the ink and the arrangement.
Mnangagwa has already rigged the arrangement (but) even if he rigs the ballot paper he will not win this election.
I told SADC that we are having a problem with the issue of deployment of postal ballots but my intelligence is telling me the majority of police officers defied their bosses and voted for me. I thank all the police officers.
I told them we have problems with ghost polling stations where they want to stuff ballot papers but we have managed to ensure a polling agent for every station.
I have told SADC that ZANU PF wants to get the presidential result before reporting it to ZEC but once we get the result we will tell the world what we got ourselves, we will not accept that.
We will have the result by the end of the next day.
</blockquote>
Chamisa said there is no way Mnangagwa will win the 23 August election, saying “Any result that will see Mnangagwa being announced the winner of Wednesday’s elections is fake.”
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Chamisa Details Alleged Electoral Irregularities In Meetings With SADC Observers

Zambian President and chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation (OPDSC), Hakainde Hichilema, appointed Nevers Mumba as the head of the regional bloc’s electoral observer mission.
In a statement, Hichilema expressed optimism that Zimbabwe will hold credible elections on 23 August. He said:
<blockquote>
As chair of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, I am pleased to announce Nevers Sekwila Mumba as head of the SADC electoral observation mission for Zimbabwe’s elections.
We are optimistic about a peaceful and democratic process before, during and after elections in Zimbabwe.
</blockquote>
Mumba is the leader of the Zambian opposition party, Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD).
He served as the eighth Vice President of Zambia in 2003 and 2004 under the late Levy Mwanawasa.
Mumba arrived in the country with his team yesterday.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Zambian Opposition Leader Heads SADC Election Observer Mission To Zimbabwe

The European Union (EU) election observer mission in Zimbabwe has been facing challenges to reach the country’s remote areas due to bad roads.
The mission met journalists on Friday last week to update them on their progress so far ahead of the 23 August 2023 polls.
EU election observer mission’s press officer Ebehard Laue told <a href="https://newsday.co.zw/southerneye/local/article/200015298/bad-roads-stall-eu-observers">Southern Eye</a> in an interview on the sidelines of the Press conference that despite the country’s poor road network, they are determined to reach all places. He said:
<blockquote>
The question is whether we reach remote areas or not, we intend to go to all areas.
We have been in Hwange, we were also in Tsholotsho, the roads are a challenge there, but our mission is to reach all places.
</blockquote>
Journalists attending the meeting informed the EU mission about the challenges they were facing while covering the run-up to the elections.
Among the challenges highlighted was the recent assault of their colleagues by suspected ZANU PF youths in Bulawayo.
The observer mission has more than 150 members from 27 EU States.
The observers have been deployed to all the country’s 10 provinces.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Zimbabwe's Poor Road Network Hampers Election Observers

Former Cabinet Minister Saviour Kasukuwere has urged election observers and the international community to closely monitor Zimbabwe’s 2023 general elections to ensure that they are held in a violent-free environment.
Kasukuwere warned that political violence will undermine the credibility of the elections.
In a statement, Kasukuwere, who is in self-imposed exile in South Africa, said that cases of politically-motivated violence are on the rise. He said:
<blockquote>
To the election observers, both from our homeland and the international community, your role is now more critical than ever.
We urge you to not only monitor the voting process but to keep a vigilant eye on these escalating incidents of violence.
History, and indeed our people, will judge us by our actions or our inactions during these testing times.
</blockquote>
Two weeks ago, CCC supporter Tinashe Chitsunge was murdered in broad daylight by suspected ZANU PF supporters in Glen View, Harare.
Kasukuwere said the international community and elections observers should strongly condemn violent attacks on innocent people. He said:
<blockquote>
In the face of deeply troubling incidents of violence against innocent individuals engaged in the democratic process, we must take a firm stance and echo our unreserved condemnation.
These attacks are not just an affront to the victims, but a blatant attack on the very core of our democratic principles.
No Zimbabwean should have to pay the price for exercising their democratic rights.
Intimidation, harassment and violence have no place in a nation that seeks to govern itself by the principles of freedom, fairness, and equality.
</blockquote>
Kasukuwere, who filed nomination papers in June to run for the presidency, was recently barred from contesting by the High Court.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Kasukuwere Urges Election Observers To Closely Monitor Zimbabwe's Elections

The SADC Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM) to Zimbabwe will deploy its members countrywide on Friday ahead of general elections to be held on 23 August.
In a statement released on 11 August, SEOM said the SADC Secretariat team has been in the country since 10 August. It said:
<blockquote>
the SADC Secretariat team arrived in Harare on 10 August 2023 to prepare logistics for the launch of the SADC Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM) at the Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare, and its concomitant full deployment on 18 August 2023.
The SEOM will be deployed to all ten (10) Provinces of Zimbabwe to observe the pre- and post-election 
phases and the polling day.
Before the Launch, the Head of Mission (HoM), the Republic of Zambia (the Incoming Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Affairs) for SEOM Zimbabwe shall undertake a Courtesy Call to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Zimbabwe.
The HoM will also conduct meetings with the leadership of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) as well as the SADC Ambassadors and High Commissioners Accredited to the Republic of Zimbabwe.
</blockquote>
It has invited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), Zimbabwe Republic Police, Attorney General, political parties, voters and citizens, traditional leaders, faith-based groups, civil society, members of the media, Diplomatic Missions/Corps, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Zimbabwe, European Union Delegation in Zimbabwe, other International Cooperating Partners, and the Heads of Delegations of International Electoral Observation Missions, to attend the Launch of SEOM Zimbabwe at the Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare.
SEOM’s mandate is guided by the revised SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections of 2021. Reads the statement:
<blockquote>
The Mission will assess the conduct of the elections against a set of central principles stipulated in the revised SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections of (2021) which include, amongst full participation of the citizens in the democratic and development processes, measures to prevent political violence, intimidation and intolerance, equal opportunity for all political parties to access the State Media as well as access to information by all citizens, and acceptance of and respect for the election results by all political parties.
</blockquote>
SEOM will join various other observer groups, such as the Carter Centre and the African Union-COMESA teams, already stationed in the country’s 10 provinces.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

SADC To Deploy Election Observers To Zimbabwe On 18 August

The Government of Zimbabwe has sought to assure foreign international observers and diplomatic missions that the upcoming general elections will be free and fair.
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Fredrick Shava on Monday said international observers and diplomatic missions are welcome to observe the 23 August 2023 elections in Zimbabwe and make their observations in an impartial manner.
Shava was addressing diplomatic missions accredited to Zimbabwe and observer groups on the country’s preparedness for the harmonised elections. <a href="https://newziana.co.zw/2023/07/24/zimbabwe-has-nothing-to-hide-in-electoral-process-shava/">He said</a>:
<blockquote>
On 23 August 2023, your Excellences, the electorate will choose its leaders at both the local and national levels, all observer missions and diplomatic missions are welcome to observe the elections and I wish to underscore that you are free to make your observations and recommendations in an impartial manner.
I assure you that we have nothing to hide as we have conducted free and fair elections since attaining independence in 1980, you will find the atmosphere the same…
My Ministry stands ready to receive observer missions from all over the world who wish to contribute to our democratic process.
We urge all observers to familiarise themselves with the code of conduct for election observers and all requirements for accreditation with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission before embarking on their missions.
</blockquote>
The run-up to the elections has been marred by several court applications filed mainly by opposition candidates whose nomination papers were rejected by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
Police have also barred the country’s main opposition party, CCC, from holding campaign rallies more than half a dozen times.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

"Zimbabwe Has Nothing To Hide", Govt Tells Foreign Election Observers

On Monday afternoon, European Union (EU) Ambassador to Zimbabwe Philippe Van Damme and Foreign Affairs Minister Sibusiso Moyo signed a memorandum of understanding for the deployment of the EU Election observation mission.  The EU Election observation mission will come to Zimbabwe as soon as possible.
Below is a press statement released by the EU following the signing process:
<blockquote>The EU Delegation has today prepared the ground for the deployment of an Election Observation Mission (EOM) for the upcoming harmonised elections by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (Moll) with the Zimbabwean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. 
Today’s signature by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Sibusiso Busi Moyo and EU Ambassador Philippe van Damme follows the invitation by the Government of Zimbabwe on 2 March 2018 for the EU to deploy an Election Observation Mission for the upcoming harmonised elections. 
In March 2018, the EU undertook an Exploratory Mission to determine the advisability, feasibility and usefulness of sending EU election observers to Zirnbabwe. On the basis of this mission’s recommendations, Federica Mogherini, the EU High Representative / Vice President a the Commission, informed Minister Moyo during his visit to Brussels on 28 April of her decision to deploy an EOM. It is the first time since 2002 that the European Union will deploy an EOM to Zimbabwe and a significant additional support to the country’s democratisation process. 
After the signature, Ambassador Philippe Van Damme, Head of the EU Delegation to Zimbabwe, said: “The EU welcomes the commitment of the government to peaceful, credible, inclusive, and transparent elections. It is vitally important that an electoral environment is created conducive to freedom of expression, freedom of the media and freedom of assembly.” 
The Memorandum of Understanding outlines the rights and obligations of the EU Election Observation Mission. EU election observers maintain strict impartiality, objectivity and independence in the conduct of their mandate. They are bound by the Code of Conduct for EU Election Observers and also adhere to the Code of Conduct for International Election Observers and will act in accordance with the Constitution and laws in force in Zimbabwe. 
In addition to observing the run up to the elections and Election Day itself, the EOM will also monitor electoral complaints that may be lodged after the elections. 
The EU observers will be deployed nationwide. The long-term presence of the Observation Mission will allow it to make an impartial and comprehensive assessment of the electoral process and environment, as well as of the conduct of the elections themselves. In their work, the EU EOM will liaise closely with all key stakeholders, as well as with other international observation missions and domestic observers. </blockquote>

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