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Statement on the 31 March 2005 Zimbabwe Parliamentary Elections
ZCBC, ZCC and EFZ Ecumenical Churches
March 31, 2005

Preamble
In the pre-election period, the three Church Bodies, the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference (ZCBC), Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) and Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ), organized a day of prayer on 13 February 2005 for peaceful parliamentary elections on 31 March 2005. The Churches would like to acknowledge and thank God for the much-improved peaceful environment in which the elections were held. We commend the efforts made by the political leaders, the parties, the Churches, the police and the Nation as a whole in creating and sustaining peace before and during the elections. It is our ongoing prayer that peace continues to prevail in the post-election period. Our observers for the 2005 Parliamentary elections listed some positive and negative aspects of the elections.

Positive Aspects
Among the positive aspects we would like to make special note of the following:

• The improved political tolerance and peaceful atmosphere;
• The establishment of election management bodies;
• The establishment of the electoral court;
• The increase in the number of polling stations;
• The use of translucent boxes;
• The accreditation of a large number of observers and journalists;
• The use of visible ink;
• Voting in one day;
• Verification and counting of ballots at polling stations on the same day and the immediate communication of results to Command Center;
• The zeal of law enforcement agents in fostering peace through a zero tolerance of violence without fear or favour.

Negative Aspects

• Lack of voter education, resulting in voter apathy and too many spoilt ballot papers;
• Unequal access to public print and electronic media resulting in lack of adequate information for the voter regarding the core issues, manifestos, etc.;
• Administrative delay in accrediting observers which should normally allow for 90 days of observation prior to the election date;
• Refusal by polling officers of some of our observers at about 16 polling stations to enter the polling stations on the morning of the voting day;
• Turning away of a large number of prospective voters, about 25%;
• Refusal by some polling officers at some polling stations to allow our observers to be present during counting.

Conclusion
Comparatively speaking, the Churches would like to register and applaud the improved peaceful electoral environment in which the March 2005 Parliamentary elections were held. The improved atmosphere engendered greater freedom at the point of voting than in previous elections. We can register satisfactory progress in the growth of democracy as witnessed in our country's March Parliamentary elections. We have not yet arrived altogether as seen in some of the negative aspects listed. Nevertheless, we would like to congratulate the Nation on the progress made, and urge all parties to foster the peace and continue to build on the democratic gains made. God Bless you all.

• Rt. Rev. Michael D. Bhasera, Bishop of Masvingo (President of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference)
• Bishop Khumbulani P. Nemapare (President of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches)
• Bishop Trevor Manhanga (President of the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe)
• Very Rev. Murombedzi C. Kuchera (Chairman of the Heads of Christian Denominations)

Visit the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference (ZCBC) fact sheet
Visit the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) fact sheet

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