A10-member African Union team, whose members are drawn from South Africa, Lesotho, Sierra Leon, Zambia, Nigeria and the Republic of South Sudan, arrived in Zimbabwe this week to assess prevailing conditions as the country heads for a general election.
Idrissa Kamara is leading the AU pre-observer mission team while Kondwane Chirambo of Zambia is the delegation coordinator.
This is the first time that the regional body has sent an observer team in the country far ahead of the polls.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Chairperson, Justice Rita Makarau, confirmed that the team had arrived in the country and had filed their application to observe the forthcoming elections.
Makarau said: "The team's application was tabled before the ZEC Accreditation Committee yesterday and it was recommended that they be accredited. The next step is for the commission to accredit them." She urged foreign observers to submit their applications while they are still in their respective countries.
"The correct procedure for foreign observers is to submit their applications while they are still in their countries to avoid the embarrassment of being turned away while they are already in the country," said Makarau. "However, once cleared by the Foreign Affairs ministry, we will accredit them if they apply and the Accreditation Committee will approve their applications."
As part of their mission, the team is expected to assess whether the general electoral environment is conducive for a free, fair and credible election.
Speaking to The Zimbabwean last week, ZEC, Deputy Chairperson, Joyce Kazembe said the organisation was ready to work with any local, regional or foreign organisations interested in observing the impending elections.
Kazembe revealed that ZEC would not limit the number of election observers and said the commission was ready to work with any organisation 'provided they follow the stipulated application procedure and meet the set standards of conduct'.
MDC Spokesperson, Kurauone Chihwayi said his party was pleased with the arrival of the delegation as part of a guarantee for credible polls.
He said: “The country should open up to regional and international observers if we have nothing to hide. If there are no skeletons in the cupboard, we should open our doors and allow everybody to come and access the electoral environment,” wayi.
He said his party welcomed the arrival of the delegation and looked forward to meeting the team.
“The team should get an update of the current electoral environment where Zanu (PF) is using all means possible including the law to manipulate the next elections. They should get an update from all the political parties so that they are aware of what is happening on the ground,” he said.
In a statement issued out by the MDC- T information department, the arrival of the AU observer mission was in tandem with the party’s guidelines outlined under its Conditions for a Sustainable Election in Zimbabwe blueprint.
“CoSEZ states that official observers and monitors should be in place to ensure the eradication of state sponsored violence, intimidation and to guarantee the secrecy, security and integrity of the vote and voter,” read the statement. “Conditions for a sustainable election specify the need to have observers deployed in reasonable time, the need for security sector and media reform.”
Zapu spokesperson, Mjobisa Noko told The Zimbabwean that while his party had faith that the team was going to carry out its mandate without bias, it was important for the observer mission to access the situation at the grassroots level.
Noko said: “The AU delegation should not confine their assessment based on table discussions. Zapu is optimistic that the team is going to carry out its mandate without favour and we are happy that they are going to get the facts accordingly.”
The AU election observation mission draws its mandate from various instruments, among them the continental body’s Election Observation and Monitoring Missions of 2002, the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights of 1981, the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance of 2007 and the African Union Long Term Observation Framework of 2012.
The Southern Africa Development Community is yet to send an observer mission into the country as part of the fulfillment of the organisation’s recommendation at its special summit held in Maputo, Mozambique last week.
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The observers will soon notice that…Vanhu Havachada zanupf!!