2. INTRODUCTION The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) was formed in the year 2000 and is a network of 31 non-governmental organisations. The major focus of the Network is to promote democratic processes in general and free and fair elections in particular. ZESN is the secretariat of the Electoral Support Network of Southern Africa (ESN-SA) and is a member of The Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM). Following the invitation by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), ZESN deployed 14 observers to Nkulumane December 19, 2015 National Assembly by-elections. The network makes use of its membership, in observing the pre-electoral period and short term observers for the polling day processes. Reports from observers form the basis of election reports, updates, statements, opinions and other advocacy initiatives for electoral reform. ZESN is non-partisan and independent in its approach to election observation. ZESN election observation missions are guided by the Constitution of Zimbabwe, Electoral Laws of the country and a number of regional and international standards and principles, conventions and declarations which Zimbabwe is signatory to. These include the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections, the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). ZESN conducts its observation efforts in conformity with the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections, the Declaration of Global Principles for Citizen Election Observation and Monitoring which was launched at the United Nations on 03 April 2012 as well as the Principles for Election Management, Monitoring and Observation in the SADC Region (PEMMO). The organisation is also guided by the GNDEM’s Declaration of Global Principles for Nonpartisan Election Observation and Monitoring by Citizen Organizations, Code of Conduct for Non-partisan Citizen Election Observers. 3. BACKGROUND By-elections in Zimbabwe are held in terms of Section 158 (3) of the Constitution and Section 39 (2) of the Electoral Act. Accordingly, the President called for by-election to fill the National Assembly Constituency vacancy in Nkulumane. The dates were fixed through the Presidential proclamation 116 of 2015 and Statutory Instrument 11 of 2015, gazetted in an extraordinary gazette dated on the 23rd of October, but only circulated on the 30thof October 2015. The president proclaimed the 19th of December 2015 as the date for byelections in Nkulumane constituency. 8|Page