ZHRC Commissioner, Prof Carroll Themba Khombe (Standing and wearing spectacles) meeting some traditional leaders at Nembila High School in Matabeleland North Province before the 2018 Harmonised Elections. The table below shows the different categories of human rights issues apparent from the 77 cases received by the Commission as well as the number of cases received in each Province: Masvingo Mat North Mat South Midlands Total 6 Mash West Total Manicalan d Mash Central Mash East Type of Cases Electoral Interference 2 Voter Intimidation 0 Vote Buying/Partisan Food Distribution 0 Violence 0 Bulawayo Table on Pre-Election Complaints Received and Investigated Harare 3.14 1 0 4 2 11 2 6 9 2 2 0 7 0 2 1 3 3 3 21 39 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 3 0 13 4 3 16 8 5 1 2 1 5 9 2 7 9 77 2 2 The Commission investigated all the 77 cases most of which were referred to the police. Other cases could not be exhaustively dealt with as they required complainants to report to the police, yet the complainants were reluctant to do so. There was a fear of reprisals within the communities, hence the reluctance to report to the police. This was therefore a challenge to the ZHRC as complainants wanted to report the cases to the ZHRC only and not to the police. This made it difficult for the ZHRC to handle the criminal aspects of the cases which required police intervention. The ZHRC however still encouraged complainants to report incidents of criminal political rights violations to the police and further engaged perpetrators to desist from committing these illegal acts. For cases reported to the police, the ZHRC followed up with the police and ensured that where possible, these were resolved through Multi-Party Liaison Committee meetings, dialogue amongst all the parties and criminal prosecution. 3.15 Disenfranchisement Section 67 (3) (a) of the Constitution accords every citizen above the age of 18 years the right “to vote in all elections and referendums to which [the] Constitution or any other law applies.” The ZHRC however noted that significant categories of eligible Page 34 of 55