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Community News Bulletin - September issue
Centre for Community Development in Zimbabwe (CCDZ)
October 12, 2011

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SADC, AU and UN monitors/observers should supervise next elections, says general public

In the month of September 2011, the Centre for Community Development in Zimbabwe (CCDZ) held a series of community meetings and road shows in Mashonaland East, Central and West and Midlands Provinces. The districts visited include Marondera, Mutoko, Mudzi, Wedza, Mhondoro, Chihota, Murehwa, Karoi, Hurungwe, Majuru, Mazowe, Chiweshe and Chirumanzu areas which were generally no-go areas for the civic society and non-ZANU PF political parties before the inception of the inclusive government. The main thrust of the outreach was to update the citizenry on the Constitution-Making process, as we also urge the people to register as voters in preparation of both the constitutional referendum and the general elections. This opportunity was also used to inform and educate citizens on the minimum conditions of a free and fair election and the general state of the Global Political Agreement.

In Marondera, at the meeting held at Dombotombo, participants insisted on a new Constitution first before elections. They were of the opinion that this would safeguard their votes and ensure a proper transition of power as well as enable a free and fair election. They also said that civic education and a clean voters roll are a pre-requisite to free and fair elections. The participants demanded impartial and objective monitors from the international community. They went as far as to suggest the powers of an international peace keeping force that would be empowered to impose a curfew at night to deal with violence and abduction of people which normally takes place at night.

The participants were keen to be updated on the SADC facilitated mediation process as they were unsure about the dates of the next elections. They expressed frustration with politicians who unilaterally announce that there will be elections without consulting the people to find out if they are ready. A village head said the UN and SADC should provide non-partisan international observers in the coming elections and not leave the responsibility to invite international observers to the ZANU PF Minister of Foreign Affairs, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and Minister of Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Patrick Chinamasa. "We urge the SADC Facilitator President Zuma to agree concretely with Prime Minister Tsvangirai and President Mugabe on the list of international observers that the Inclusive government will invite to monitor the planned elections," said one participant at the meeting held in Chirumhanzu in the Midlands province.

The participants were unanimous in demanding that these observers should be in Zimbabwe for the period six months before and after the election. Participants said this would guarantee their security, prevent electoral violence and facilitate a smooth transition of power similar to that of 1980. In Kotwa (under Mudzi District), participants insisted that 48 hours is enough to count votes and declare a winner rather than the five days proposed by the Electoral Amendment Bill. They also insisted on a ward based voter's roll saying that would ensure the removal of ghost voters.

The Electoral Amendment Bill, which if enacted into law will be the electoral framework for the next round of elections created much debate at the meeting. The section governing Presidential run-offs was completely discredited by participants who said a run-off was a very bad idea and it created political tensions. The participants rejected a polling station based voter's roll as this would open them up to revenge attacks by losing parties or candidates. During debates on the Electoral Amendment Bill in Chapfika village in Mutoko, participants said SADC should be the ones to appoint Z.E.C since they are mediators.

Older participants said elections should be separated into general, council and presidential elections like those of 1980 as the lumping of elections creates problems of electoral violence and complex electoral fraud. Parliament was also urged to convene more public hearings than the twelve planned nationwide meetings to solicit public input in the Electoral Bill. Examples of MPs holding daily campaign rallies throughout their constituencies in an election year were paralleled to the few public hearings that are to be held.

The participants were of the view that MPs can campaign circles around a constituency when they want to be voted into power, they should do the same when it comes to the Parliamentary public hearings on the Electoral Amendment Bill.

CCDZ is continuing to hold more community meetings and road shows in Mashonaland West, Midlands and Masvingo with the overall aim of playing a pro-active role in ensuring the meaningful participation of communities in the Constitution making process and the next general election. The voter turnout in the next Constitutional Referendum will be used as a litmus test in terms of voter turnout.

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