Human Rights Archive Zimbabwe

This issue seeks to continue with the debate and discussions on some interpretations, implications, and prospects towards the 2008 elections in particular on the Constitutional Amendment Bill Number 18. The issue looks at various aspects like the voter registration, which make up the fundamental aspects of a free and fair election.

New Amendments to the electoral Act falls short of expectations.

This report, based on investigations in Zimbabwe, describes the scale of the abuses and identifies those responsible—officials from ZANU-PF, often working through proxy forces of so-called war veterans and youth militia, backed by members of the armed forces and police. Local institutions have identified at least 2,000 beatings and cases of torture.

The 2005 Parliamentary elections represented an important improvement on the 2000 and 2002 elections in that the elections were performed in a peaceful environment without state-controlled violence. Despite this notable improvement from previous elections, the Parliamentary elections in Zimbabwe failed to meet some key internationally recognised election standards.

On March 29, 2008, Zimbabwe held presidential, parliamentary and local elections. Months later, the country’s political future remains uncertain. For the first time since independence, the ruling party has lost its majority in the National Assembly. After a month of rising tensions, the results of the presidential race were belatedly announced on May 2.

The harmonised elections set for 31 July 2013 remain perhaps the most significant yet contested polls in the history of Zimbabwe. Not only has the timing of the actual poll been uncertain, but the polls are also approaching at a time when the curtains are coming down on the embattled Inclusive Government (IG) that was akin to a love-hate relationship amongst the three main political parties represented in Parliament.

Delimitation is the process of redistricting of constituencies for the purposes of elections. It divides the country into constituencies and wards for the purposes of elections of persons to constituency seats in the National Assembly and of councillors to local authorities. In Zimbabwe, the process is carried out in terms of sections 160 and 161 of the latest Constitution (2013).

This is a review by the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (“ZESN”) of the proposed amendments to Zimbabwe’s legislation on the management and conduct of elections in the country. The Electoral Amendment Bill, 2011 (hereafter, “the Bill”) seeks to amend the Electoral Act (Chapter 2: 13) (hereafter, “the Act”).

On March 29, 2008, Zimbabweans will participate in presidential, parliamentary, senatorial, and local government elections synchronized for the first time, following changes to Zimbabwe’s constitution in September 2007. As the elections near, all indications are that once again the people of Zimbabwe will not be able to freely exercise their civil and political rights and vote for the candidates of their choice.

On 28 May 2018, another Electoral Amendment Act was passed and the 2018 Election date was announced thereafter. Consequently, as a result of the announcement of the Election day as 30 July 2018, any amendments to the Electoral Act that happen after the proclamation do not apply to the 2018 elections, but other future elections.

This is the second report on an audit of the June 2013 Voters’ Roll. It expands on the previous report, provides a more detailed analysis of the Roll, and corrects a number of minor errors.

Electoral system reform and implications for Gender equality

State organized violence increased following the rejection of the Government sponsored constitution in the referendum at the beginning 2000. The violence was initially sporadic and confined to one or two areas at a time but as the 2000 parliamentary elections approached, it became more intense and widespread. The state trained and deployed more people in an effort to control perceived supporters of the newly formed opposition.

Heal Zimbabwe monitored the electoral environment and the 21 January 2017 by election in Bikita West. To increase efficiency and effectiveness in doing so, a collaboration with the Elections Resource Centre (ERC) and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) was forged in the run up to the Election Day.

Report on the Bikita By-Election

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) welcomes the commencement of the Biometric Voter Registration exercise at the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) district offices. The rolling out of the registration exercise at district level facilitates the continuous registration of voters as stipulated by the law.

Heal Zimbabwe through its resident human rights monitors in all the country’s 10 provinces monitored the environment during the mobile voter registration exercise. This was done with the objective of monitoring the environment and report on any cases of human rights violations as well as making referrals where necessary for redress.

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) continues to observe the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) exercise at the 63 District centers established by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) commenced the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) for the Wards which fall under Phase 1 yesterday. ZEC intends to roll out the process in four phases until 19 December 2017.

ZESN has deployed observers under the first phase of the Biometric Voter Registration blitz and this update is based on reports received from all the 10 provinces where registration is currently taking place.

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) continues to observe Phase One of the Biometric Voter Registration exercise in all 10 provinces of the country. There are six days left before the close of voter registration under Phase One.

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) continues to observe the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) exercise. This update is based on observations by ZESN observers deployed to cover all the wards under Phase One.

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) is observing Phase 2 of the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) exercise which commenced on 29 October 2017.

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) continues to observe Phase 2 of the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) exercise in all the country’s 10 provinces. The following update is based on observations made over the past 7 days.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) concluded phase 2 of the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) blitz on Monday 13 November 2017. Phase 3 of the blitz commenced yesterday, 16 November 2017 and was marred by a few challenges which include; destruction of registration tents by heavy rains and failure to open some of the registration centres owing to late arrival of either ZEC registration officers or equipment.

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) continues to observe Phase 3 of the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) exercise which commenced on, 16 November 2017 and will end on 1 December 2017.

ZESN continues to observe the (Biometric Voter Registration) BVR blitz which entered the fourth and last phase on 4 December until 19 December 2017. At the conclusion of Phase 3, ZEC indicated that a total of 3,532,577 had been registered cumulatively from Phase 1.

ZESN received reports of a significant number of voter registration centres that ran out of the print roll used for issuing voter registration slips to successful registrants.