INTRODUCTION The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) is one of the five (5) Independent Commissions established in terms of Section 232 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. The Independent Commissions have the objectives of supporting and entrenching human rights and democracy, protecting the sovereignty of the people, as well as securing the observance of democratic values and principles by the State and all institutions and agencies of Government. Section 243 (1) (c) places on the ZHRC the responsibility to monitor, assess and ensure observance of human rights and freedoms. This function is inclusive of the right to free and fair elections as provided for in the Constitution1 and the Electoral Act2. In light of this mandate, the ZHRC monitored the 30th of July 2018 electoral processes contributing to the promotion of an environment conducive to conducting free, fair, transparent and credible elections. The Commission developed an Election Strategy which guided its work during the whole electoral cycle. The development of the Election Strategy was informed by contributions from various stakeholders including; Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), Government Ministries and Departments, Political Parties, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) from within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region (i.e. South Africa and Malawi). After these consultations, ZHRC adopted the strategy whose main goal was “To contribute to the promotion and enforcement of fundamental human rights and freedoms during the electoral process for free, fair and credible elections”. Therefore, the Commission’s strategy acknowledged and set out the parameters by which the organisation would undertake its role during the electoral period, participating in all processes and ensuring the protection and promotion of human rights within the scope of its broad Constitutional mandate. 1 Section 67 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment, (No. 20) Act 2013 2 Section 3 Electoral Act, (Chapter 2:13) which stipulates the general principles which apply to a democratic election. Page 7 of 55