MUTARE There is need for a complete review of Zimbabwes electoral laws to bring them in line with international norms and standards on the holding of free and fair elections, a top southern African election expert said last week. (Pictured: Police ensure all is well at a nomination court A regional expert has urged Zimbabwe to review electoral laws.)Tim Stratton, who works with the Southern Africa Electoral Support Trust, said a new initiative to write a new constitution for Zimbabwe undertaken by the power-sharing government was an opportunity for the country to produce a truly democratic and non-partisan governance charter.
This new electoral legislation will not only be a restoration of peoples fundamental rights and freedoms but also compliance and adherence by Zimbabwe to international norms and values, said Stratton, who spoke to The Zimbabwean On Sunday on the sidelines of a workshop held in Mutare to discuss the Global Political Agreement and the constitutional reform process.
Stratton said the trust was calling for a complete review of Zimbabwes electoral laws and for the proposed new constitution to provide for the creation of a truly independent commission to run elections in the country.
He said a new constitution should also provide mechanisms to ensure that the voting process was fair and transparent.
All stages of the electoral process that include voter education, inspection of the voters roll and access to media by all political players must be managed in a fair and credible manner, he added.
Under the GPA, a new and democratic constitution should be in place by mid next year after which the country will hold fresh elections for president, parliament and local councils.
Zimbabweans hope a new constitution will guarantee human rights, strengthen the role of Parliament and curtail the president’s powers, as well as guaranteeing civil, political and media freedoms. The new constitution will replace the current Lancaster House Constitution written in 1979 before independence from Britain. The charter has been amended 19 times since independence in 1980. Critics say the majority of the amendments have been to further entrench Mugabe and Zanu (PF)s hold on power.