2. THE OBSERVER GROUP ZESN was formed in the year 2000 and is a coalition of 36 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). The major focus of the Network is to promote democratic processes in general and free and fair elections in particular. ZESN is the secretariat of the Electoral Support Network of Southern Africa (ESN-SA) and is a member of The Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM). Following the invitation of ZEC, ZESN deployed observers to the 24 November, 2018 Mutoko North Constituency National Assembly and the Chegutu East Local Authority by-elections. ZESN relied on reports from its volunteers who observed the pre-electoral period and the Election Day processes. ZESN election observation methodology is based on the Constitution of Zimbabwe and Electoral Laws of the country. The Network is independent in its findings and conclusions. In addition, ZESN’s assessment of the election is also guided by a number of regional and international conventions and declarations which Zimbabwe is signatory to, such as, the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections, the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The Network is also guided by the GNDEM’s Declaration of Global Principles for Nonpartisan Election Observation and Monitoring by Citizen Organisations, Code of Conduct for Nonpartisan Citizen Election Observers. 3. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND TO THE BY-ELECTIONS The Mutoko North Constituency seat fell vacant following the elevation of Mabel Chinomona to the position of President of the Senate. The Mutoko North by-election was thus held in line with Section 129 (1) (d) of the Constitution1. The Chegutu East Local Authority seat was necessitated by the death of the incumbent Councillor for ward 16, Silas Chikati on 10 September 2018. The Nomination Court for Mutoko North sat on 12 October 2018 to consider applications of nominees for the by-election. ZESN observed the Nomination Court where more than one candidate was duly nominated, hence on Saturday 24 November 2018, the Mutoko North byelection was held in accordance with subsection 17(c) of the section 46 of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) as read with the Presidential Proclamation number 7 of 2018. The candidates who contested in the election were Edson Mugoma of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), Boniface Mushore of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance, and 1 The seat of a Member of Parliament becomes vacant on the Member becoming President of the Senate or Speaker or a Member of the other House. 8