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Bill Watch 24/2008: Election observers
Veritas
June 14, 2008

SADC Observer Mission
On the 12th June The SADC Election Observer Mission started deploying observers for the June 27 presidential election run-off. There will be than 400 observers, an increase from the 168 during the March 29 polls. Over 300 are already here and more are arriving on an hourly basis. The Mission will deploy six teams in each of the 10 Provinces. Their spokesman has said that they are trying to observe in as many areas as possible, but obviously they cannot cover all 9231 polling stations and it is up to local observer teams to try and cover all the polling stations.

Local observers
It is of great concern that the largest observer network in the country, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network [ZESN], comprising 38 organisations, has not yet been able to get its observers accredited by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission [ZEC] and, to ZESN's knowledge, no other civil society, faith-based organisation or any other local observer bodies have been able to do so. [As this run-off election is a continuation of the election held on 29th March, there is nothing in the electoral laws and regulations that specifies that observers previously accredited should have to apply to be re-accredited. If ZEC is insisting on re-accreditation they have an obligation to see it is expedited.] Note: of the observers trained and deployed through ZESN for the first round of the elections, subsequently 12 were assaulted, 187 displaced, and 75 harassed or intimidated or had property damaged. Some new observers have had to be recruited and these would have to be trained. Local organisations also need to work out the logistics of deploying their observers. The delay in accreditation of local observers is sewing mistrust.

New Information from ZEC
Polling Officers: ZEC will be using over 64 000 polling officers [7 per polling station - there are 9231 polling stations]. Polling officers will be drawn from the Public Service [including teachers], the Health Service and local authorities.

Proposed increase in number of polling agents: ZEC has agreed that the number of candidates' election agents permitted inside each polling station should be increased from one to two per candidate. An appropriate amendment to the Electoral Regulations will be gazetted soon.

Training of election officials: Training of constituency election officers and polling station officers will continue up to the 22nd June.

Presidential election and by-election calendar

24th January: Start of "Election Period" for 2008 Harmonized Elections [date of publication of proclamation calling the elections]

16th May: Gazetting of polling date for presidential run-off Election and by-elections

2nd June: Accreditation of international and local observers and journalists by ZEC commenced at the Harare and Bulawayo Polytechnics. International observers who observed the last election do not need a new invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs [new observers do] but still need to be accredited. Local observers need to apply for an invitation from the Minister of Justice before seeking accreditation. The process of accreditation will continue until polling day.

4th June: Checking of applications for postal votes by the Chief Elections Officer commenced. ZEC said it had invited election agents and observers to witness this process. The checking will be done in Committee Room No. 6 at the Harare International Conference Centre [HICC] from 8am to 7pm, Monday to Friday, until 17th June.

17th June: Closing date for receipt of applications for postal votes. All applications must reach the Chief Elections Officer [by hand at the HICC or by registered post to P.B. 7782, Causeway] by noon on this day.

20th June: Postal Ballot Boxes will be sealed. This will be done at ward centres, and election agents and observers are entitled to be present. Envelopes containing postal votes will be placed unopened in this box and will only be opened after polling on the 27th June.

27th June: Polling day for Presidential Run-off Election and By-Elections

The election period [and the duties and functions of observers] continues until the announcement of the results

Enfranchisement and disenfranchisement
Replacement of lost IDs to enable registered voters to vote on 27th June: The Herald of 13th June reported that the Registrar-General's Office has deployed mobile teams countrywide to assist registered voters to replace lost, defaced and torn national identity documents ahead of the June 27 presidential run-off election, and that the exercise will continue until 27th June. One contesting party has expressed concern that issuing of new IDs will be done on a partisan basis - i.e. only in areas where the other party has known supporters.

Continuing voter registration: Voter Registration goes on all year and is still continuing. But only voters registered before 14th February are eligible to vote in the run-off. Concern has been expressed by one party that secret voter registration is taking place on a large scale with people being given voter registration certificates backdated to before 14th February, which would enable them to vote.

Displaced people: One party has claimed that over 25,000 of its supporters have been displaced and 3000 are in hospital as a result of political violence. These are known party supporters. As well as these, many other people have also fled their homes because of intimidation after the last round of voting. The numbers are difficult to estimate as only those connected with some organisations have been recorded. For example, the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe has claimed that teachers have been targeted and that according to their records over 7 000 teachers have fled, most of them from rural areas, more than 5 000 have been beaten and about 600 hospitalised, while at least 231 teachers' houses have been burnt. The General Agriculture and Plantation Workers Union of Zimbabwe [GAPWUZ] has reported that since the election 40,0000 farm workers have been displaced. For ZESN figures see above.

Most of these displaced people are now living some distance from their home areas and are unlikely to be able to return in time to vote. As they can only vote in their home areas - in the wards in which they are registered, their displacement has effectively disenfranchised them.

Denial of postal votes for Zimbabweans in the Diaspora: The issue of the disenfranchised millions in the Diaspora has not been given the priority it deserves. At least half of Zimbabwe's eligible voters are probably living outside the country. Most have left through necessity. Their remittances have been estimated by some economist as constituting the largest sector of the economy at present. Their skills are vital to Zimbabwe's future. But they have been refused participation in the election.

Update on Bills, Acts, Statutory Instruments
No new Bill or Acts gazetted

Statutory instruments gazetted:-

• SI 88/2008 - making imported newspapers "luxury items" for customs duty purposes [duty payable in foreign currency]
• SI 89/2008 - increasing the customs duty on imported newspapers from 5% to 40%
• SI 90/2008 - another raising of the income tax threshold and tax bands for 2008 [replacing SI 63/2008 gazetted in April]
• SI 91/2008 - general conditions of service for employees of ZEC [largely based on the corresponding regulations for members of the Public Service]

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