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ZESN's preparatory activities for the elections
Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN)
March 12, 2005

Civic Education Department
ZESN conducted a nationwide civic and democracy education program for the electorate, focusing on the following issues,

  • Democracy and its essential features
  • The importance and benefits of citizen participation
  • Qualities of a good member of parliament
  • Voter rights
  • Political tolerance
  • Campaign against election related violence.

This has helped immensely, in the promotion of the concept of citizen empowerment, and awareness so that they make informed choices. However according to the Zimbabwe Electoral Act, civil society organisations that consist of only Zimbabweans can apply to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission for permission to conduct voter education provided that their material is approved by the Commission. ZESN has since submitted its application to ZEC but no response has been given yet.

  • So far the department trained 240 democracy educators that is, two per constituency, who in turn conducted community awareness workshops and distributed voter education material.
  • Produced, democracy education materials, urging participation from the electorate. Some material was translated in local language so as to reach everyone. Print adverts, bill boards and cartoons have also been produced and being flighted to election time. Find attached, samples of voter education material. We would like to urge all members to feel free to come and collect some educational materials for further distribution.
  • The department is currently facilitating public seminars in provincial centres in a bid to urge participation as well as giving updates on the upcoming election. Efforts are currently being made to bring in political parties to address the public and present to the electorate their manifestos.

Election Observation

  • The department held a Training of Trainers (TOT) workshop. These 80 trainers were responsible for training long term observers for the upcoming elections. 260 long-term observers have since been trained and deployed and are currently submitting reports to ZESN on the situation on the ground in terms of the pre-election and post-election climate.
  • The department trained 6 138 short-term observers in the months of January - February 2005, in all the provinces in Zimbabwe. The names of 6 500 trained observers (including secretariat, provincial coordinators and board members) were submitted on 7 March 2005 for approval by the Minister of Justice, Legal and parliamentary affairs, Minister Patrick Chinamasa, to observe the elections, and at the time of writing this report, ZESN awaits response.
  • Workshops to train 240 supervisors for the impending elections are to be held in Harare, on 20 March 2005 and in Bulawayo on 18 March 2005.
  • The department has so far finished compiling a database for its short-term observers and is currently inputting all the data from the long-term observers in the ZESN database.


The Media and Information Department

  • The department held a workshop for journalists in Bulawayo from 19-20 February 2005. 35 journalists from all mainstream papers in Zimbabwe as well as provincial papers attended. The workshop was done in bid to lobby for balanced, factual and impartial reports from the media in Zimbabwe, particularly in view of the impending and other elections.
  • The department also compiled an election-reporting guide to serve as a practical guide to help journalists report Zimbabwe's parliamentary and other elections impartially. The practical guide was first distributed at the journalists' workshop in Bulawayo and has since been distributed to member organizations, partners and donors. Find attached a copy of the election-reporting guide.
  • The department has been having meetings with editors, lobbying for the importance of balanced reporting on the upcoming election.
  • Through the Media and Information department ZESN has also been flighting adverts in national and provincial papers on civic education in conjunction with the Democracy Education department. Moreover the organization has been flighting adverts in the following local radio stations, SFM, Power FM, National FM, using roll models such as popular actors and musicians. The organization had one 30 minutes program on SFM Morning Mirror program, and this week the organization was invited for another 1hr program on SFM in Focus program.
  • The organization was invited by the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings ZBH, for talk shows, lobbying for free and fair elections.
  • The Media and Information department is currently putting election updates on the ZESN website and E-mail (see ZESN website for more information, www.zesn.org.zw).
  • Press conference is to be held on 15 March 2005, in Harare, at a local hotel. The press conference / cocktail will seek to inform journalists on ZESN's preparations for the March 2005 parliamentary election. The meeting will also highlight ZESN's observations of the pre-election period, concerns pertaining to the election.

Research and advocacy

  • The department Zimbabwe produced an evaluation document that examines the SADC Electoral Principles and Guidelines in comparison with Zimbabwe's new electoral legislation that is, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Act and the Electoral Act. The document highlights the extent to which has implemented or at least considered the SADC guidelines into its domestic legislation. For further information see copy on website.
  • The first preliminary report on elections has been produced and is currently in circulation (see zesn website for report). The second preliminary report is to be released just before elections.
  • The department made courtesy calls to the Zimbabwe Election Commission and the Electoral Supervisory Commission to lobby for improved electoral environment and to raise concerns pertaining to the impending election.
  • The organization also met the ANC in South Africa and presented its assessment of the situation in Zimbabwe concerning the elections. A briefing has been arranged with African diplomats for the week beginning 14/03/05.
  • ZESN has been meeting various observer groups from outside the country and will continue to give updates and briefings to all regional and international observer groups as well as to partners, diplomats, members and the general public.
  • The department has also produced information packs for observer groups. Member organizations are being urged to bring in other material for the information pack.

Capacity Building and Networking
ZESN is currently meeting other sister organizations in view of better and improved coordination of 2005 election participation by civil society. The organization continues to liaise with regional and international organizations to share information and get capacity in election related work.

Command Centre

  • ZESN is going to set up command centers at the Holiday Inn Harare and at ZESN offices. The command centers are to run from Monday 28 March - Sunday 03 April 2005. (see attached copy of command structure)
  • ZESN is urging member organizations to bring in documents for further distribution.
  • Command centers are to be set up in all provinces. Find attached contact details for secretariat and all provincial coordinators.

We thank all for supporting our work and urge all to get in touch with secretariat for suggestions and your comments.

Visit the ZESN fact sheet

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