ZEC also convened workshops and meetings with stakeholder do discuss on-going electoral processes. Between 28 and 29 November 2017, for example, ZEC organized a Voter Education Workshop for CSOs at Mazvikadei Resort to ―get feedbackǁ on voter education; ―explore challengesǁ of voter education for BVR and ―ways to mitigateǁ them, among others. Similar workshops had earlier been organised in, for example, Troutbeck - Nyanga (20-22 May 2017). Some of the engagements or discussions may not have been very fruitful or yielded expected results. However, ZEC's willingness to discuss with and listen to stakeholders in line with its constitutional obligations was the first of its kind in the electoral history of Zimbabwe. 3.3.3. Nomination Court The Nomination Court that sat on 14 June 2018 was patient and considerate. Candidates were given chances to go and correct anomalies on their submissions to minimize disqualification. ZEC nomination requirements published in May 2018, in the words of one candidate, ―looked simple, but not easy to interpret. The Nomination Court requirements needed a nomination ―education just like the way voter education is provided since some of us (candidates) spend a lot of time 13 moving up and down nomination centres as we tried to put together required documentation. The nomination process was rather slow, taking between twenty to forty minutes to make a submission. 3.4. Voters' Roll Inspection The voters' roll inspection that commenced from 19 to 29 May 2018 provided voters with several alternatives to check their details. Voters could physically visit their polling centres. Voters also had an online alternative where they could check their details on ZEC website and use short codes to identify any mistakes. ZEC was also innovative in utilizing the short message service (SMS) facility which reached the 14 cell phones of more than three million voters. The use of the social and digital media in the voters' roll inspection was very convenient. It decongested inspection centres. As a result, only 694 030 voters physically inspected the voters' roll as at May 24, 2018 whilst the rest used different media platforms. Such innovation should be taken into the future and improved - if necessary - to make it easier and expedient for voters. 3.5. Conclusion There is a lot of potential to improve the electoral environment and smooth running of elections in Zimbabwe. The nation should build and improve on these positives to broaden the road to future free and fair elections. 4. THE CONTEXT OF 2018 HARMONIZED ELECTIONS: WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE BETTER? 4.1. To be the Doers of the Law (Romans 2:13) - Paying Equal Attention to all the Flock the Holy Spirit has made you to Oversee (Acts 20:28) The 2018 Harmonized Election could have been better if there was more commitment to follow Zimbabwe's constitution and other statutory frameworks. CCJPZ structures raised serious concerns over lack of adherence particularly to the Traditional Leaders Act and Chapter 15 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe (No.20) Act 2013. Traditional leadership is the immediate form of government in Zimbabwe's rural areas where more than 68% of the population lives. Chapter 15 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe (No. 20) Act 2013 recognises the role of traditional leaders in rural governance. It proclaims ―Principles to be 15 observed by traditional leadersǁ in Section 281 where; Traditional leaders must – a) Act in accordance with this Constitution and the laws of Zimbabwe; b) Observe the customs pertaining to traditional leadership and exercise their functions for the purposes for which the institution and traditional leadership is recognised by this constitution; and 13 14 15 Interview with an election candidate, Gweru, 14 June 2018 See ―The Herald", 29 May 2018 See Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No.20) Act 2013 7