Is there a mechanism by which individual candidates and / political parties can approach them to investigate irregularities before or during the elections? If so, has this been clearly communicated to all those taking part?
Have the steps to be followed in the event of such regularities been spelled out? Who will be responsible for enforcing action?
Are the observers satisfied right now that the electoral playing field is level- in other words, are conditions on the ground around Zimbabwe today conducive to the holding of free and fair elections?
Are they satisfied that all candidates are being given equal access to radio, television and public print media?
Are they satisfied with the number and distribution of polling stations, especially in the densely populated urban areas? (According to figures supplied by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, the official body conducting thee elections, the Zimbabwean Election Supervisory Network, ZESN, has calculated that the paucity of polling stations in the urban areas will mean that each voter will have less than 10 seconds to have his/her name checked against the voters’ roll, dip his/her fingers into the ink- not indelible as this is too expensive according to ZEC – and put his/her cross on four separate ballot papers, in four separate booths.)
Their rural brothers and sisters will have more than 20 minutes each to complete the same process. Have the observers observed any of the vote-buying in various guises that has been taking place around the country for the past month and , if so, have they got anything to say about this ?
Have they observed the widespread arrest, harassment and intimidation of opposition party supporters-and if so, would they care to comment on this?
And what about the intimidation of voters by the Defence Forces Chief, Constantine Chiwenga, who declared recently that he would stage a coup of Mugabe lost the election; and the Prisons Chief, Paradzai Zimondi, who ordered his subordinates to vote for Zanu (PF), or else?
Are the observers satisfied with the competence of ZEC to run these elections? (With the elections less than two weeks away, ZEC does not yet have the voters roll available in a user-friendly electronic format, is not sure whether the ballot boxes will be made of cardboard or transparent material, does not seem to have printed ballot papers, has failed to carry out voter education, and the bulk of its polling officers, teachers, are threatening strike action because they believe ZEC is broke and will be unable to pay for their services.)
The answers to these questions will determine the international credibility with which the observers’ findings are received.
Word for Today
Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.- Psalm 95:6-8a