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SADC Electoral Commission meets in Victoria Falls
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
Extracted from Crisis in Zimbabwe Weekly Update
July 18, 2004

The fifth Annual General Meeting held by electoral commissioners from the region in Victoria Falls from 19-24 July 2004 comes at a critical moment in the history of Zimbabwe.

It comes barely a month after the African Union (AU) produced a damning report about electoral and human rights abuses by the Harare government. Although the report was not part of the agenda it gave the commissioners an insight into the environment that is currently prevailing in the country.

It is important to note that the meeting is being held not under the auspice of the ruling party. The commission meets on a rotational basis in member countries and they totally independent of host states. This gives the commission the power to deliberate on any issues they deem important without undue interference from host nations.

The meeting comes on the heels of proposed electoral reforms by Zanu PF ahead of the 2005 Parliamentary election.

SADC PF, the Commonwealth, World Council of Churches and other local civic groups observed that the 2002 presidential election was not free and fair because of violence and an electoral environment that was under the control of the incumbent government.

The Coalition would want to note that the conditions that existed then have worsened. Three privately owned newspapers have since been closed down by the government and violence against perceived enemies of Zanu PF continue each time there is a by-election.

It would be crucial for the electoral commissioners to critically analyse the proposed reforms by Zanu PF and pressurise Harare to adopt the SADC minimum conditions for holding free and fair elections without any executive meddling.

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