Commissions Watch 6 August 2018 [ZHRC Preliminary Election Monitoring Report 23 - 31 July 2018]
on parliamentary representation. The absence of provisions on braille in the Electoral law,
made it impossible for the visually impaired to vote unassisted. Equally the law did not include
the voting of those in the diaspora and prisoners as highlighted in previous reports by the ZHRC.
CONCLUSION
The 2018 harmonised elections have been a mixed bag. Whilst this election can be hailed as
one of the most peaceful elections post 2000, the ZHRC’s findings point to challenges in
fulfilling the right to vote as provided for in the Constitution. Some citizens of Zimbabwe were
subjected to conditions that made it impossible for them to enjoy their human rights in full as
they were exposed to intimidation and threats.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission
• To perfect the voters roll and polling stations well on time to avoid confusion and
redirection of voters.
• To make sure polling stations are accessible and friendly to all people including people
with disabilities.
• To provide adequate facilities including fighting and mobile ablution facilities at Polling
Stations as most Polling Stations at tents did not have them.
Zimbabwe Republic Police
• To expedite investigations and processing of all criminal cases reported to them e.g.
Seke case of an aspiring candidate whose rights were being infringed.
Political Parties
• To attend Multi Party Liaison Committee meetings to avoid last minute crisis.
• To deploy polling agents at the various polling stations to avoid querying of ZEC
processes and results.
• Political parties are urged to desist from electoral malpractices of defacing, tearing and
pulling down posters.
• Political parties to desist from issuing threat and intimidation to potential voters during
elections and the Multi Party Liaison Committee to emphasize this.
• Political parties must desist from using food and agricultural inputs to buy votes.
Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, AGRITEX and Grain Marketing Board
• In future food and agricultural input distribution towards elections should be done by
independent Government Institutions e.g. Grain Marketing Board and Social Welfare
rather than political party machineries. It is also recommended that these exercises be
halted ahead of polling day as this raises issues of vote buying by other political parties.
Traditional Leaders
• Should not indulge in political activities as provided for in the Constitution Section
281(2), I quote;
“Traditional leaders must not be
(a) Members of a political party or in way participate in partisan politics;
(b) Act in a partisan manner;
(c) Further the interest of any political party or cause;
(d) Violate the fundamental rights and freedoms of any person.”