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Table of contents
Abbreviations ..................................................................................................................................................... x
1 Background .....................................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Introduction .........................................................................................................................................1
1.1.1 The role of the Southern Africa Development Community ...............................2
1.1.2 Norms and standards binding Zimbabwe ................................................................4
2 Electoral system and processes ..............................................................................................................5
2.1 The Electoral system ........................................................................................................................5
2.2 Gender aspects of the electoral system ....................................................................................6
2.3 Key reforms and progress ..............................................................................................................7
2.4 Election Management Body ...........................................................................................................7
2.4.1 Composition and training ................................................................................................7
2.4.2 Functions of ZEC ............................................................................................................... 10
2.4.2.1 Institutional and individual independence ....................................... 11
2.5 Custody and maintenance of the voters’ roll ....................................................................... 12
2.6 Voter registration and inspection of the voters’ roll ........................................................ 13
2.6.1 The first mobile voter registration exercise ......................................................... 13
2.6.2 The “special and intensive” mobile voter registration and inspection
exercise ................................................................................................................................ 13
2.7 Access to voters’ roll ...................................................................................................................... 16
2.8 Gendered aspects of voter registration and other challenges...................................... 17
2.9 Constituency boundaries and the delimitation process ................................................. 18
2.10 Voter education ............................................................................................................................... 19
2.11 Political party primaries and nomination of candidates ................................................ 20
2.11.1 Gender dynamics of nomination................................................................................ 22
2.12 Accreditation of observers ........................................................................................................... 22
2.13 Political party funding and use of state resources ............................................................ 25
2.14 The Special Vote .............................................................................................................................. 26
2.15 Elections to Council of Chiefs ..................................................................................................... 28
2.16 Postal voting and the Diaspora vote ....................................................................................... 28
2.17 Concerns with upcoming processes relating to the elections ...................................... 29
2.17.1 Voter education on actual polling ............................................................................. 29
2.17.2 Access to the final updated voters’ rolls ................................................................. 30
2.17.3 Slow pace of polling and insufficient polling stations....................................... 30
2.17.4 Challenges for voters whose names do not appear on the voters’ roll ...... 31
2.17.5 Presence of police in polling stations ...................................................................... 31
2.17.6 Counting of votes and posting of results ................................................................ 31
2.17.7 Announcement of results.............................................................................................. 32