resulting in a deeply divided nation. ZESN recommends that the government invest in efforts that promote national healing and reconciliation. 35 Summary of reports by International Observers Southern Africa Development Cooperation According to SADC, there has been a remarkable improvement in the exercise and protection of civil and human rights compared to 2008 Pre-election and Voting processes were in line with key legal and constitutional provisions and SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections. The African Union- Observer Mission The AU noted that ZEC carried out all electoral processes on time and all political parties were able to exercise their rights. The observer mission urged ZEC to be transparent and speedily in their results announcement processes. The Commonwealth According to the group, important gains were made in these elections. The pre- election environment was peaceful and calm. There was a marked change in the behavior of security services, who, in a break from the past, did not place constraints on the freedoms of association and assembly. Political parties were able to campaign freely. However, there were reports of incidents of covert intimidation attributed to ZANUPF, the blatant state media bias in favour of the ruling party, and a spike in the use of social media to propagate hate speech and the ZEC’s limitations in the implementation of its mandate. The polls were conducted in a peaceful manner and were well managed and transparent. However the post election period was violent and resulted in and the behaviour of security forces marred this phase of the elections. As a result the Commonwealth “could not endorse all aspects of the process as credible, inclusive and peaceful” 36 35 ZESN, Report on the 2018 harmonised election, http://www.zesn.org.zw/wpcontent/uploads/2015/11/ZESN-Report-on-the-30-July-2018-Harmonised-Election-Advance-Copy.pdf 36 The Commonwealth, Preliminary Statement of the Commonwealth Observer Group, Zimbabwe Harmonised Elections, 2August2018,http://thecommonwealth.org/sites/default/files/inline/FINAL%20%20Zimbabwe%20Preliminary%20Statement%20-%202%20August%202018_1.pdf, 48