20 Electoral system and processes education, although it may distribute these funds to other organisations involved in the provision of voter education; and the persons providing voter education must be domiciled in Zimbabwe and must operate through an organisation with a specific mandate to provide voter education. ZEC is empowered to close down a voter education programme conducted by a CSO if it considers the organisation is providing materially false or incorrect information that is unfairly biased for or against a contesting political party. Although this provision is supposed to ensure that voters must receive “adequate, accurate and unbiased voter education” from ZEC, in practice it only consolidates ZEC’s monopoly on voter education. Some CSOs engaging in civic education activities and voter information were arrested by the police and charged with carrying out voter education without accreditation. ZEC was engaged in order for them to clarify the differences between voter education and more general civic education, but thus far have failed to act in this regard. As a result, law enforcement authorities continued to clamp down on all forms of education and public sensitisation, violating fundamental rights and freedoms in the process. As at 6 July 2013, only twenty three CSOs in a nation of more than 6 million voters had been accredited to carry out voter education around the country. For voter education to fulfil its role as an essential exercise in strengthening participatory democracy, it is essential that civil society be enabled to conduct effective nation-wide voter education. In the Principles of the Electoral Commissions’ Forum of SADC Countries it is pointed out that involvement of CSOs can ensure comprehensive distribution of voter education. It is therefore clear that legislative and administrative steps have been taken by the authorities to ensure that they actively dissuade organisations from carrying out educative activities and to prevent crucial information from reaching voters. It is imperative that CSOs must be allowed to conduct their own programmes as in accordance with AU Declaration.87 This requirement has been violated in many ways. Police have requested for proof of approval, although the ZEC has not been providing this. Cases of Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) and CSOs who have been arrested and charged for carrying out voter education are discussed in more detail in Chapter 3. 2.11 Political party primaries and nomination of candidates Preparations for nomination by the two main political parties – ZANU PFand MDC-T – were very dramatic. The MDC-T had already carried out its primaries in advance, while ZANU PF was still working on finalising its rules and regulations to guide primary elections.88 On 21 May89 the ZANU PF rules were still outstanding. Consequently ZANU PF primaries commenced a mere two days before nomination and ended on 27 June. 90 87 88 89 90 Part III (e) of OAU Declaration; Principle 1.3(5) of AU Guidelines. T Maodza ”ZANU PF Politburo defers poll rules indaba” The Herald (12 April 2013) p 1. T Maodza “Politburo to finalise rules” The Herald (21 May 2013) p3. “ZANU PF fails own test” Newsday (26 June 2013) p1; B Chitemba “Fierce clashes in ZANU PF over candidates” Zimbabwe Independent(28 June 2013) p5; F Zaba et al “ZANU PF primaries leave trail of