Breaking News
Login
Pan African Visions

Zimbabwe’s Election Resource Centre decries suspension of by-elections.

September 29, 2021

By Wallace Mawire

People queue in order to cast their ballot outside a polling station located in the suburb of Mbare in Zimbabwe's capital Harare, on July 30, 2018. (Photo by Luis TATO / AFP)

 Zimbabwe’s Election Resource Centre (ERC) in a position on suspension of by-elections has lamented that it has been 11 months since by-elections were suspended under Statutory Instrument 225a of 2020.

 According to the organization, the Executive suspended the elections taking away the independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).

 It adds that despite the ZEC having developed the COVID-19 Policy on Electoral Activities with clear guidelines on how by-elections and other electoral activities would be conducted under COVID19, by-elections have remained illegally suspended.

  It reports that by-elections are a litmus test to ZEC’s preparedness for the 2023 Harmonised elections.

  According to ERC, responsible authorities must ensure that when by-elections are conducted, they are conducted in a transparent, accountable and credible manner that boosts the confidence of electoral stakeholders.

  It says that currently, COVID-19 is not the only pandemic affecting the delivery of credible elections.

 “The failure to adhere to constitutional principles that are foundational to credible elections is another pandemic that is threatening democratic principles. It is worrisome that citizens are currently unrepresented in Parliament and Local Authorities. Section 1 of the Constitution states that Zimbabwe is a unitary, democratic and sovereign republic and is bound by principles of good governance which include free, fair and regular elections according to Section 2 (b) (ii),” ERC said.

  The ERC said that it  calls for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to undertake his mandate of proclaiming by-elections since there is no court order setting aside the elections.

  It said that conclusively, the resumption of by-elections must be preceded by the implementation of electoral reforms as by-elections without reforms pose a threat to the credibility and acceptability of electoral outcomes.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Pan African Visions
Cameroonian girls’ and women’s rights defender Marthe Wandou receives 2021 Right Livelihood Award.
September 29, 2021 Prev
Pan African Visions
Food fraud and Food Safety: Ghanaian scientists embrace novel technology to reduce trends of fraud.
September 29, 2021 Next