field from 8 to 11 June 2015 to assess the observance of human rights before the Election Day, during the voting process and after the announcements of the results. The ZHRC deployed a total of thirty- two (32) observers in the country’s five (5) Provinces where by-elections were held. This report will analyse the legislative framework, the two day pre-election period beginning 8 June 2015, the Election Day and the 11 June situation after the election and release of results. 1.4 Legal and Policy Background Governing the By – Elections: The by-elections conducted in the 16 constituencies were held in terms of the Constitution, after 14 MDC-T MPs were recalled from Parliament after joining a new party. The other two seats fell vacant after ZANU PF dismissed two MPs for the Headlands and Hurungwe West Constituencies and recalled them from Parliament. All the MPs were unseated in terms of section 129(1)(k) of the Constitution which provides that a seat becomes vacant when a member ceases to be a member of the political party of which he/she was a member when elected to Parliament. 1.5 The vacant constituencies, grouped by Province were as follows:  Bulawayo Metropolitan [5 seats]: Lobengula, Luveve, Makokoba, Mpopoma/Pelandaba, Pumula  Harare Metropolitan [6 seats]: Dzivaresekwa, Glen View, Harare East, Highfield West, Kambuzuma, Kuwadzana  Manicaland [2 seats]: Chikanga-Dangamvura, Headlands  Mashonaland West [1 seat]: Hurungwe West  Matabeleland North [1 seat]: Tsholotsho  Midlands [1 seat]: Mbizo. 2. Objectives The objectives of observing the by-elections were; 2.1 To assess the observance of human rights and freedoms during elections with particular reference to the realisation of the rights and freedoms enshrined in section 67 of the Constitution; and Page 4 of 15