Observer Missions a. The AU- deployed fourteen (14) long-term observers with a core team of four and 50 short-term observers for polling and counting. b. SADC- deployed a total of 63 Short and Long Term Observers to all the ten Provinces of Zimbabwe. The observers were from 11 SADC Member States.12 Honourable Tete António, Secretary of State of the Ministry of External Relations of the Republic of Angola, the Head of the Mission emphasized that given the political and economic challenges Zimbabwe has faced in the past two decades, SADC attached great significance to the potential of the 2018 General Elections to enable sustainable political and economic prosperity. He further said democratic elections, if professionally managed; and when anchored upon consensus-based rules and international human rights principles, contribute significantly to peace and stability. Conversely, poorly managed electoral processes serve as triggers of conflict. c. The EU- had the biggest mission deployed across the country. It deployed 140 observers, the first time in 16 years. The head of the last European Union observer mission, Pierre Schori, was thrown out of Zimbabwe in 2002 on the eve of Presidential elections that were condemned as flawed. In the intervening years the EU did not send missions to other Zimbabwe polls as former President Robert Mugabe refused to grant them observer status in elections post 2002. The vote assessment by the EU was critical in determining whether Zimbabwe could earn the trust of the international community, which could help trigger an economic revival after many years of economic decay and recession. d. The Commonwealth observer mission- the mission composed of 23members. Former President of Ghana John Dramani Mahama chaired the Commonwealth Observer Group. The Commonwealth had last observed elections in Zimbabwe in 2002. This was the first time the Commonwealth had observed elections in Zimbabwe since the country withdrew its membership in 12 The 11 SADC member States are namely, Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lesotho, Namibia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia 18