AU optimistic of credible Zim poll

The African Union observer mission in Zimbabwe is assessing the country’s electoral environment to ensure that the country holds credible polls, head of delegation of the regional bloc, former Nigerian President, Olusegon Obasanjo said.

Obasanjo said the AU was not in Zimbabwe to conduct elections but to ‘ensure that the country holds a credible poll that reflects the will of the people’.

Addressing journalists at Munhumutapa offices in Harare where he met Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Obasanjo expressed optimism that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission would iron out all the contested areas that the parties contesting the polls had indicated needed urgent attention.

President Robert Mugabe’s arch rival, Morgan Tsvangirai, yesterday lamented that with only two days before the country holds harmonised elections, the ZEC had not availed the updated version of the voters roll.

Tsvangirai said “ZEC is evasive on availing the voters roll to even the presidential candidate.”

Obasanjo said the regional body was optimistic that Zimbabwe would conduct free and fair elections.

“We are hoping for the best. We are not here …to try and find out about areas that need to be corrected,” he added.

He revealed that the AU observer mission had met civil society organisations, other observer teams, ambassadors from mostly African countries and ZEC.

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