Chairperson- Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission
Acknowledgements
The ZHRC would like to express its sincere gratitude and appreciation to the
following stakeholders who made the production of this Report a success:
Ministry of Justice,Legal and Parliamentary Affairs
Ministry of Home Affairs
Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission
The European Union
Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR)
ZHRC Commissioners and members of the Secretariat
The Royal Danish Embassy, Harare
The Royal Norwegian Embassy, Harare
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC), one of the Independent
Commissions that are established in terms of section 232 of the Constitution of
Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act 2013, has the mandate to promote, protect and
enforce human rights and fundamental freedoms in Zimbabwe. The establishment of
the ZHRC is in terms of section 242 and its functions are outlined in section 243 of
the Constitution. One of the ZHRC’s roles is protecting and promoting the right to
free and fair elections as provided for under section 67 of the Constitution which
stipulates that:
“Every Zimbabwean Citizen has the right to free, fair and regular elections for
any elective public office in terms of the Constitution or any other law and to
make political choices freely”.
1.2 This mandate can be realized by the ZHRC through observing and reporting on
the enjoyment and exercise of citizens’ right to free, fair and regular elections for any
elective public office established in terms of the Constitution or the Electoral Act,
Chapter 2:13.
1.3 In light of the above, the ZHRC Commissioners and Staff were accredited as
observers for the 10 June 2015 by-elections in 16 Constituencies and were in the
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