Human Rights Archive Zimbabwe

Democratic free and fair elections are an integral component of international human rights law as recognised at the apex of the Human Rights system in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Universal Declaration).

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) monitored the human rights situation prior to the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) primary elections that had been initially scheduled for 17 May 2018.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) monitored the human rights situation during the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) primary elections conducted on 29 April 2018. The aim of these elections were to select candidates to represent the party in national elections in the categories of Council, National Assembly, Senate and Provincial Council.

Report on the Bikita By-Election

The report highlights the findings of the ZHRC before, during and after the elections and the ZHRC’s own observations.

Complaints of alleged forceful collection of serial numbers from community members in Marondera Rural (Rapids Farm), in Bocha Marange and Mutasa Districts of Manicaland Province were lodged with the ZHRC.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) monitored and assessed the 2018 harmonized elections held on the 30th of July 2018. The primary objective was to ensure that the elections were conducted freely and fairly in accordance with national legal frameworks, and regional and international instruments that advance the observance and respect for human rights and freedoms of all citizens.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC/Commission) joins the nation and other peace loving Zimbabweans in condemning, in the strongest sense, the use of live ammunition and excessive force on unarmed protesting citizens by the army on 1 August 2018.

The Commission issued its preliminary election monitoring report on the 2nd of August 2018 covering the period up to 31 July 2018. This statement is therefore a summary of findings on the election related human rights situation by the ZHRC in the period from 1 August to 6 August 2018.

This report is based on the information received from the monitors deployed across the country and from complaints received.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC/Commission), in line with its monitoring mandate as provided for in Section 243(1)(c) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, deployed monitors throughout the country’s 10 Provinces. The monitoring activities which have been undertaken by the ZHRC project a holistic picture of the electoral environment

Veritas notes that when giving evidence before the Commission of Inquiry into Post-Election Violence of 1st August, our Attorney-General, Prince Machaya, was absolutely clear on the correct legal position of who can deploy the army onto the streets.

Detailed information about the Commission of Inquiry was given in our Commissions Watch bulletin dated 25th September 2018 [link]. Its terms of reference are set out in full in the Presidential proclamation appointing the Commission

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has released a series of reports about politically partisan distribution of food and other State aid before and after polling in the 30th July election.

On the 14th September the President published a proclamation (No 6 of 2018) establishing the Commission [The proclamation can be viewed on the Veritas website – link] and the seven Commissioners were sworn in on the 19th September.

The Commission deployed a total of 23 teams spread across the 10 Provinces of Zimbabwe. The monitors were able to collect information which forms part of this preliminary report.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) advises all stakeholders that it has deployed election monitors in all parts of the country, with effect from 23 July to 6 August 2018, to monitor the Harmonised Elections scheduled for 30 July 2018 as well as the post-election

CATHOLIC COMMISSION FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE IN ZIMBABWE ELECTION OBSERVATION REPORT FOR 2018 ZIMBABWE HARMONIZED ELECTIONS

Pastoral Letter of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference on the National Elections of 30 July 2018.

Pastoral letter of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops on Preparing for the Zimbabwe 2018 National Elections.

ZCBC Pastoral Letter on July Elections , Shona Version

The ESN-SA deployed a 23 member Mission from Zimbabwe and the region (Southern and East Africa). The Mission observed the last stages of the pre-election period, Election Day, and immediate post-election. The ESN-SA, met civil society, political parties, the Electoral Commission, other observer missions, the Police and other stakeholders for briefings on the pre-election environment.

STATEMENT BY THE HONOURABLE TETE ANTONIO, SECRETARY OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ANGOLA AND HEAD OF THE SADC ELECTORAL OBSERVATION MISSION (SEOM) TO THE 2018 HARMONISED ELECTIONS IN THE REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE.

This report presents ZESN’s observations of each sector of the electoral cycle: the pre-election, the polling, and the post-election periods.

Zimbabwe’s 2018 elections were the first to be observed by the Commonwealth in 16 years. The Commonwealth last observed Zimbabwe’s 2002 Presidential Election. As such, this observation mission provided a unique opportunity to accompany Zimbabwe on a critical leg of its democratic journey.

The International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) organized the Zimbabwe International Election Observation Mission (ZIEOM) for the 2018 Zimbabwe presidential, parliamentary, and local government elections (referred to locally as “harmonized” elections).

The data collected reported six hundred and eighty eight human rights violations, which have been incorporated into the Shutdown Atrocities Report of the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (of which ZPP is member).

The report is a reflection of the monitoring and observation of the 2018 electoral process by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (the Forum).

In the period leading up to elections violence, threats and intimidation were used extensively to coerce voters. Politicians of the ruling party and their supporters made statements indicating that the ballot would not be secret and that reprisals would be taken if people voted in certain ways.