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The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has reiterated its call for comprehensive electoral reforms that will bring to an end the cycle of disputed elections in the country.
In its statement marking the country’s 44th Independence anniversary, ZESN noted the achievements brought about by self-rule, among them one man one vote which ensures universal suffrage.
ZESN said that since gaining independence in 1980, Zimbabwe has consistently conducted periodic elections at constitutionally set intervals.
The country established the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to manage elections, where voting takes place in a single day, and results are counted at polling stations.
Additionally, the implementation of Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) has been a crucial step in enhancing the electoral process.
ZESAN, however, said that the 2023 Harmonised Elections were helped without significant electoral reforms. It said:
<blockquote>
Independence Day also comes at a time when ZESN is advocating for electoral reforms, urging the government and all electoral stakeholders to reconsider proposals submitted by ZESN and various Civil Society Organizations (CSOS) during the previous electoral cycle to enhance the credibility and integrity of elections. This call comes against the backdrop of the 2023 Harmonised Elections, which were conducted without significant electoral reforms.
Although in 2022, the Zimbabwean government made amendments to the Electoral Act through the Electoral Amendment Bill, such as removing the driver’s license as proof of identity, ZESN believes these changes primarily addressed nominal and administrative reforms, overlooking crucial reforms essential for transparent and credible elections.
Substantive electoral reforms, which stakeholders had been advocating for, were omitted from the amendments to the Electoral Act.
Zimbabwe’s founding tenets are rooted in respect for the Constitution, the rule of law, fundamental human rights and freedoms, diverse cultural, religious and traditional values, gender equality, good governance and regular elections, stemming from the election results of 1980 that led to the transition to Independence.
</blockquote>
Since the emergence of strong opposition in the 2000 elections, Zimbabwe has conducted disputed elections characterised by allegations of vote rigging and politically motivated violence. Said ZESN: 
<blockquote>
Despite the country conducting regular elections every five (5) years, ZESN emphasizes the need for the government and political parties to establish an environment conducive to upholding the basic tenets of democracy.
This includes promoting a multi-party democratic political system; conducting credible elections; enhancing the rights of all political parties and citizens; and promoting transparency, justice, accountability and responsiveness.
Elections play a pivotal role in allowing the electorate to select leaders for governance and decision-making positions.
</blockquote>
In the run-up to the 2023 general elections, ZEC conducted a controversial delimitation exercise. Later, ZEC clung to the voters’ roll and opposition candidates had to approach the courts to force ZEC to release an analysable voters’ roll without success.
ZESN also called on elected leaders to enhance accountability mechanisms to citizens as part of efforts to uphold the essence of good governance and democratic principles. It said:
<blockquote>
In its quest for a Zimbabwe where democratic election principles are upheld, ZESN reiterates its call for comprehensive and timely strengthening of the progress made thus far in improving the quality of elections.
This includes aligning electoral laws fully with the Constitution; strengthening ZEC capacity and accountability to conduct electoral processes effectively and transparently; fostering a political environment conducive to holding free, fair, peaceful and credible elections; ensuring adequate representation of marginalized groups; electoral stakeholders to have access to justice, reduced election-related violence and adopting alternative dispute resolution mechanisms as well as instituting an efficient and transparent results management process.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

ZESN Renews Call For Electoral Reforms As Zimbabwe Celebrates 44th Independence Anniversary

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has dismissed the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission’s (ZHRC) claims that it was collaborating with Team Pachedu to collate and tabulate the 23 August 2023 general election results to announce them prematurely.
In its election report, the ZHRC claimed that ZESN has been working with Team Pachedu to destabilise peace in the country.
However, in a statement, ZESN rejected the allegations, saying it has never collaborated with Team Pachedu. <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200020368/zesn-denies-team-pachedu-links">It said</a>:
<blockquote>
ZESN would like to categorically state that it does not and has never worked closely or collaborated with Team Pachedu to collate and tabulate results.
</blockquote>
On election day, police officers raided ZESN offices in Harare and arrested 40 election monitors.
The Police also confiscated computers and other related election material that was being used by the poll watchdog to monitor the election.
Those arrested were working for ZESN and the Election Resources Centre (ERC) to monitor and give updates on election proceedings. Said ZESN:
<blockquote>
Additionally, addressing a Press conference in Harare on 24 August 2023, Police Spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest of the ERC and ZESN staff and not Team Pachedu, a sure sign that the latter was never a part of the observation team working on independently verifying results.
</blockquote>
ZESN said election observation is crucial in gathering information regarding an electoral process, to assess whether the elections are conducted per the laws of the country, regional or international principles, standards and best practices.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

ZESN "Categorically" Denies Team Pachedu Links

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

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum has condemned the arrest of Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) and the Elections Resource Centre (ERC) staff members by the Police last week.
In a statement released on 28 August, the Forum said the arrest of 39 ZESN and ERC staff members and volunteers who were arrested while conducting lawful, non-partisan election observation work was “disheartening”.
Read the full statement below:
<blockquote>
The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (the Forum) stands in solidarity with its fellow civic society organizations — the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) and the Elections Resource Centre (ERC) following the arbitrary arrests of 39 ZESN and ERC staff members and volunteers who were arrested while conducting lawful, non-partisan election observation work.
The Forum, in addition to being a consortium of 21 civic-based organizations, also coordinates a total of 21 heads of civic society organizations and networks in the fight to defend and protect civic space in Zimbabwe to which ZESN forms an essential constituent.
The Forum has also collaborated closely with the ERC in ensuring support of institutional election processes that are devoid of instances of organized violence and torture (OVT).
The Forum therefore expresses deep concern over the needless raids of ZESN and ERC workspaces that ultimately resulted in the arbitrary arrest of the 39.
The arrest culminated in the seizure of a range of communication gadgets which included cellphones, laptops and modems on the basis that the group was congregating to collect and collate Zimbabwe’s 23 August 2023 Harmonised Elections poll results in preparation for the unlawful announcement of the election outcome.
Resultantly, the 39 were charged with contravening section 66(A)(1)(a) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13] which speaks to the offence of “purported publication of results prior to the official announcement”.
They were then held incommunicado from 2100hrs on 23 August until around midday on 24 August. During that time, in contravention of the constitution, they were unable to communicate with their spouses, relatives, legal practitioners, doctors or anyone else.
The Forum considers the arrest as an attempt to suppress transparency and accountability around the 2023 Harmonised Elections.
The Forum remains perplexed by the drive behind the dragnet arrests when the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) encouraged parallel voter tabulation by independent bodies ahead of the by-elections last year.
ZEC at the time averred that parallel voter tabulation would help counter claims of vote rigging by the elections management body.
The Forum notes with relief that the 39 were granted bail when they appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Ngoni Nduna on 25 August 2023.
We however remain disheartened by the disturbing details that emerged from submissions made by their legal counsel pertaining to the nature in which their arrests were effected including how the group was made to lie down for three consecutive hours by AK assault rifle-wielding police officers.
The terror they must have endured throughout this ordeal, with the youngest of them being just 19 years of age, is unimaginable.
The Forum therefore hopes that their incarceration will not deter our peer organizations from continuing with their good work and efforts towards supporting democratic electoral processes and contributing to transparency around critical phases of the election through independent verification of election results, a practice that is observed globally.
Linked with electoral processes, the Forum and some of its member organisations have received distress calls from presiding officers, polling agents and some observers who are being targeted for the work that they did in the just-ended harmonized elections.
While we note that ZEC has issued a statement refuting allegations of recalling polling officers and observers or victimising them due to their work, we note that if the allegations are true, then whoever is recalling these presiding officers, polling agents and some observers can only be someone with a sinister motive.
The Forum, in reiterating its unwavering solidarity with ZESN and ERC accordingly calls upon the Government of Zimbabwe, at this critical time in the country’s political landscape to:
<ul>
<li>Immediately act to reaffirm its commitment to upholding and defending fundamental human rights and freedoms by abiding by the Revised SADC Principles and Guidelines for Democratic Elections which mandate member states to exercise political tolerance, ensure full participation of the citizens in the political process as well as respect, protect and fulfil the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association of civic society organizations and citizens collectively;</li>
<li>Openly condemn the conduct of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in its disproportionate use of force when conducting the raids and arrests and calling upon the ZRP to at all times be professional and non-partisan in character as mandated by section 219 of the 2013 Constitution of Zimbabwe and ultimately to</li>
<li>End the unwarranted persecution of ZESN and ERC staff and volunteers by facilitating the full and unconditional dropping of charges against the arrested 39 individuals and the return of the equipment seized.</li>
<li>Ensure that polling agents and observers are protected and are not victimized because of the work they carded out during the elections.</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum Condemns Arrest Of ZESN, ERC Election Observers

Statement by the Election Resource Centre (ERC) and the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) following the announcement of the results of the Zimbabwe 2023 Harmonised Elections:
<blockquote>
Late in the evening on 26 August, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) announced the results of the Zimbabwe 2023 Harmonised Elections.
As a result of the drastic lengths the government of Zimbabwe took to prevent nonpartisan, independent observation of the counting and tabulation process, the Election Resource Centre (ERC) and the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) are unable to verify the outcome of the presidential election.
ERC and ZESN jointly deployed thousands of accredited observers to every province, district and constituency of the country using a statistically-sound sample to systematically observe the elections on behalf of all Zimbabweans, and independent of any other effort.
This includes the collection of publicly available information in order to provide stakeholders and citizens with factual statements on the conduct of the voting and counting process, as well as the tabulation and announcement of results.
All of which is legal and recognized in the electoral act, and has been a routine observation activity in Zimbabwe since 2008.
ZESN deployed sample-based observation (SBO) during the 2018 elections and made public its projections after ZEC declared the presidential election results.
The projections were well received by President ED Mnangagwa who tweeted affirming the SBO projections.
The objective SBO projections were also relied upon by ZEC in the Constitutional Court during the hearing of the presidential petition in 2018.
ZESN and ERC were also encouraged by ZEC, which through the ZEC chairperson, noted that civil society as well as political parties should conduct parallel voter tabulations (PVT) during the 2023 elections.
However, on election night, just as the counting process was concluding in many parts of the country, government security forces raided ERC and ZESN’s data centre, arresting all present staff and volunteers and confiscating all equipment.
They also targeted and seized other staff in nearby locations, in some cases violently.
The security forces’ uncalled and unjustified actions not only prevented an independent nonpartisan verification of the official results as announced by the ZEC but also cast a shadow over the entire election process.
Since election day, ERC and ZESN have continued to receive reports of observers and staff being targeted, threatened, and attacked, including one incident of an observer’s house being torched hours after the declaration of the presidential election results.
This ongoing intimidation and silencing of anyone who can provide verification and transparency to the electoral results by state actors fundamentally undermines their credibility and the credibility of these elections.
ERC and ZESN call on the government to drop the charges levied against our staff and observers, and to take urgent measures to protect and stop harassment of accredited citizen election observers.
To increase the transparency of the tabulation process, we also call on the ZEC to make disaggregated polling station level results publicly available online for all 12,370 stations.
Despite the efforts, often violent, to prevent legal observation of the election, ERC and ZESN are committed to peace.
We call for peace, for anyone who is aggrieved to seek redress through lawful means, and for the Government of Zimbabwe to respect the rights of citizens.
In line with our mandate and commitment to electoral integrity, ERC and ZESN will continue to observe the election during the post-election period through the resolution of election disputes and the taking of office by the duly elected candidates.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

ERC And ZESN Statement On The Announcement Of 2023 Election Results

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has called on all stakeholders to ensure a peaceful environment before and after the general elections scheduled for 2023.
In a statement marking the International Day of Peace, running under this year’s theme, “End racism. Build peace”, ZESN said Zimbabwe is a signatory to several treaties which call for the maintenance of peace during elections. It said:
<blockquote>
As Zimbabwe joins the rest of the world in commemorating this special day, ZESN strongly believes targeted peacebuilding efforts will go a long way in preventing election violence in Zimbabwe during the 2023 pre, polling and post-election periods.
Zimbabwe is a signatory to the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, among others which call for the promotion of peace during elections; therefore elections are an important aspect of every society.
</blockquote>
ZESN also called for the strengthening of State institutions mandated with defending human rights as well as Civic Society Organizations (CSOs). ZESN said:
<blockquote>
The Network calls for the strengthening of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC), Faith Based Organizations (FBOs), Civic Society Organizations (CSOs), Community Based Organizations (CBOs), Education Institutions, Political Parties and the Media as they are critical stakeholders to fostering a culture of peace and tolerance in the society.
</blockquote>

ZESN Calls For Peaceful Environment During 2023 Elections

<blockquote>The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) notes the establishment of an inter-ministerial taskforce to address recommendations and issues raised by the various election observer missions and the Motlanthe Commission on the 1 August 2018 shootings.
ZESN however, urges the government to set up an inclusive multi-stakeholder taskforce comprising of a wide range of key stakeholders such as other political parties that participated in the 2018 harmonised election, churches and civic society groups including representatives of persons with disabilities, youths and women to spearhead electoral and political reforms.
The Motlanthe Commission had recommended the establishment of a multi-party reconciliation initiative, including youth representatives, with national and international mediation to address the root causes of the post-election violence.
The Commission also recommended the identification and implementation of strategies for reducing tensions, promoting common understandings of political campaigning, combating criminality, and uplifting communities. ZESN, therefore, calls for the inclusion of other stakeholders to ensure representation of all electoral stakeholders in the implementation of recommendations by local, regional and international election observers before the 2023 elections.
ZESN identified a number of key areas that require adequate reforms namely enhancing the independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission and other Chapter 12 institutions, reviewing results management and transmission systems, revising provisions around the delimitation of constituencies, tightening provisions on the role of traditional leaders.
Furthermore, provisions must be put in place to regulate political parties and enforce the disclosure of sources of funding and the use of campaign funding.
The Network implores the government to strengthen the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission to ensure that it fully delivers on its Constitutional mandate and initiate a dialogue that will culminate in initiatives that build and sustain peace in the country to avoid disputed electoral processes in future.</blockquote>

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