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Zimbabwe's Elections 2013 - Index of Articles
Carter Center denied accreditation to observe Zimbabwe’s elections
Carter
Center
July 09, 2013
Zimbabwe Electoral
Commission Chairperson Rita Makarau on July 9 informed The Carter
Center that our application to observe forthcoming
national elections in Zimbabwe has been declined. While the
Center regrets this news, it respects the commission’s decision.
Without accreditation, The Carter Center will not be able to conduct
an international election observation mission.
A peaceful and transparent election that reflects the will of the
people is the right of all citizens in a genuine democracy. International
election observation is widely recognized around the world as an
important measure to promote such transparency. Perhaps even more
important, impartial and nonpartisan citizen observation groups
have a critical role to play in promoting transparency and electoral
credibility, especially in Zimbabwe. Citizen observation is founded
on the fundamental human rights to participate in public affairs;
to associate; and to seek, receive, and impart information in an
electoral context.
As part of its effort to seek accreditation, the Center has undertaken
two pre-election visits to Zimbabwe to assess if it would be welcomed
by all stakeholders, including all political parties anticipated
to contest the polls. During these visits, The Carter Center was
received by key stakeholders, including representatives of the three
major political parties, all of which indicated a readiness to welcome
a Carter Center observation presence in Zimbabwe.
The Carter Center, founded by former U.S. president Jimmy Carter,
has observed 94 elections in 37 countries. The Center conducts its
election observation work in accordance with the Declaration of
Principles for International Election Observation and Code of Conduct
for International Observers, which provides guidelines for professional
and impartial methods of international election observation. The
Carter Center’s election observation missions are international
in composition, including expert delegates from a range of countries.
The Center assesses the entirety of an electoral process against
a country’s own legal framework and international commitments
to uphold standards for democratic elections.
The Carter Center encourages all stakeholders to recommit to a peaceful
and transparent electoral process. The Center remains committed
to the advancement of democratic governance in Zimbabwe, and looks
forward to an opportunity to support the country’s future.
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