2005 and Section 57(a)(1) of the Electoral Act, which states that candidates should appear in one column in alphabetical order. The design was split into two columns, of 14 and nine candidates each, and ZEC indicated that this was done on the advice of the printers. The design of the ballot paper raised concerns as some stakeholders thought that it was intended to give the incumbent an unfair advantage. In designing the Presidential ballot paper, ZEC should have adhered to the 2005 regulations which prescribe the Form V.10 as the design for the ballot paper. The ZEC did not consult political parties over the design of the presidential ballots, raising issues of credibility, trust, and partiality. Concern was also raised as to procedures for security of ballot papers, their storage, and distribution. 5.6 Observers in the 2018 Harmonized Elections The Electoral Act, Section 40G to 40K provides for the accreditation of observers. The first Schedule to the Electoral Act provides for a Code of Conduct for Political Parties, Candidates and Observers. Whilst domestic observers apply for accreditation to ZEC, regional and international observers are invited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. President Mnangagwa extended invitations to 46 countries, 15 organizations, and 2 eminent persons19. European Union and Commonwealth observers were invited for the first time since 2002. Other observer missions included the AU Election Observer Mission, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), SADC Election Observer Mission, SADC PF, Electoral Support Network of Southern Africa (ESN –SA), Zimbabwe International Election Observer Mission (ZIEOM)- a joint (National Democratic institute/International Republican Institute (NDI/IRI) observer mission, the Carter Centre Technical Team, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Pan African Parliament (PAP), observers from liberation movements namely the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO), Chama Cha Mapinduzi (Tanzania), the African National Congress (ANC), the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), Angola and observers from India, China, Russia, Turkey, Brazil, Ecuador, and other countries. Domestic and citizen observers included ZESN, the National Association of Nongovernmental Organisations (NANGO), the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP), Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), and the Union for the Development of Apostolic Churches in Zimbabwe (UDACIZA), among others. The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) deployed 23 teams from 23 July to 6 August 2018 to observe the 2018 elections20. 19 https://news.pindula.co.zw/2018/04/09/list-of-election-observers-to-be-invited-by-govt-for-2018-elections/ http://kubatana.net/2018/07/25/zimbabwe-human-rights-commission-zhrc-deploys-election-monitorscountrywide/ 20 30 | P a g e