National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) so that it can address some of the challenges affecting communities from participating in democratic processes. The most important challenge that needs urgent address are the effects of the past violations that continue haunting communities and withholding their freedoms of political participation. The NPRC’s availability may also contribute significantly towards the building of effective community cohesion and political tolerance ahead of the 2018 elections and also offer a rapid early warning and early response to human rights violations. Conclusion Heal Zimbabwe concludes that the Bikita by-election was held in a generally peaceful manner. Also, gross human rights violations that acutely short-change voters such as arson, murder, torture, rape, abduction or kidnapping, arbitrary arrest and detention and voters displacement were not observed. Only two cases of assault were recorded from the 11 wards in Bikita West. This is a marked improvement on by-elections compared to those held in 2015 and 2016 (in Tsholotsho North, Hurungwe, Headlands, Mhondoro-Ngezi, Chimanimani, and Norton. As such, Heal Zimbabwe applauds the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), the police and other Government departments involved in ensuring that the voting process in Bikita West take place peacefully. However, although the balloting day was peaceful, the election was entirely compromised by the pre-balloting period where villagers were subjected to threats of violence and withdrawal of food aid (intimidation), forced attendance to political gatherings vote buying, and discrimination from accessing food aid on the basis of political affiliation. This makes it difficult to declare the elections free and fair. 13