Observers

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network said it was particularly concerned with a repeat of the cherry-picking of observers witnessed in the past elections. ZESN slammed the denial of the opportunity to observe the elections by groups which have been perceived to be unfriendly’ by the government due to their adverse reports on previous polls.

Such a selective and partisan invitation criterion does not, in any way, foster the transparency and integrity that observation should give to the electoral process, said Rindai Chipfunde-Vava, national director of ZESN. It certainly can compromise legitimacy of the electoral process and its outcome.

Zimbabwe goes to the polls in March for joint presidential, parliamentary and municipal elections.

Mugabe, in power since Independence from Britain in 1980, is accused of attempting to manipulate the polls by inviting friendly countries which he expects to give the poll a clean bill, quashing a contested electoral outcome.

It is ZESN’s conviction that, judging from past experiences, those that the government considers friendly and objective are observer missions that have often glossed over fraudulent electoral practices to produce reports that are generally favourable to the government and the process, Chipfunde-Vava said. These reports are often times not objective.

Foreign Affairs minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, tasked with inviting foreign observers, was not immediately available for comment.

Chipfunde-Vava said by cherry picking observers, Zimbabwe was in breach of the SADC guidelines and principles, adopted by all regional leaders in Grand Baie, Mauritius in 2004, governing the conduct of polls among the 14 member grouping.

ZESN reiterates the importance of employing an impartial invitation criterion to election observers, Chipfunde-Vava said. It is our steadfast conviction that allowing observers to take part in our elections without controversy or impartiality has the potential to enhance the integrity of election processes, by deterring and exposing irregularities and fraud and by providing recommendations for improving electoral processes.

Mugabe, in power since independence from Britain in 1980, accuses Zimbabwe’s former colonial ruler of leading a Western campaign to oust him over his government’s seizure of white-owned farms for redistribution to landless blacks.