Appendix B 71 PRELIMINARY STATEMENT Harare, August 1, 2018 This Preliminary Statement is offered by the joint International Republican Institute (IRI) and National Democratic Institute (NDI) Zimbabwe International Election Observation Mission (ZIEOM) to the 2018 harmonized elections. The election is presently incomplete; the ZIEOM will therefore continue its observation and may issue further statements as warranted. An international, bipartisan delegation of short-term observers joined the ZIEOM over the voting period. The delegation members, which hailed from 11 countries, was co-led by: former Liberian President and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and former Interim President of the Central African Republic Catherine Samba-Panza. The leadership team was further comprised of U.S. Congresswoman Karen Bass, and former U.S. Assistant Secretaries of State for African Affairs, Constance Berry Newman and Ambassador Johnnie Carson. NDI Senior Associate and Director of Electoral Programs Patrick Merloe, IRI Vice President for Programs, Scott Mastic, IRI Regional Director John Tomaszewski, and ZIEOM co-directors Larry Garber (NDI) and Jessica Keegan (IRI) accompanied the leaders. Through this delegation, NDI and IRI seek to: express the international community’s interest in and support for credible, peaceful elections in Zimbabwe; provide an accurate and impartial report on the character of the election process to date; and offer recommendations appropriate at this interim point to improve the electoral process. The delegation visited Zimbabwe from July 25-August 1, 2018, as part of IRI/NDI’s longterm election observation mission that began in April and will continue until the election process reaches its conclusion and the rightful winner of the presidential election assumes office. The ZIEOM fielded approximately 60 observers to the country’s 10 provinces to observe in a mix of urban and rural areas. This statement addresses the election process within its broader context. It builds upon the findings of NDI/IRI’s pre-election assessment conducted from June 2-8 and benefits from the ongoing analysis conducted by the ZIEOM long-term observation. The mission is being conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Principles for International Observation, in conformity with the laws of Zimbabwe, and in reference to international and regional standards for democratic elections. These standards include the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Guidelines and Principles for Democratic Elections and the African Union (AU) Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. The delegation is grateful for the warm welcome and cooperation it received from all Zimbabweans with whom it interacted, including the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) Chair and election officials around the country, the leading presidential candidates, political party leaders, citizen election monitors, other civil society leaders. IRI/NDI recognize that it is the people of Zimbabwe who will ultimately determine the credibility of their elections.