ZEC invites election observers to accredit for 2023 elections

Harare (New Ziana) -The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has invited applications for accreditation from persons and organisations wishing to observe the harmonised elections set for August 23 this year.

According to a notice reproduced by legal think tank Veritas, applications are to be made to the Chief Elections Officer and should be received at the ZEC head office by August 18 to be considered by the Observers Accreditation Committee, which will make its recommendations to the electoral body.

Those from “eminent persons within Zimbabwe” and representatives of local organisations should be made to Provincial Elections Officers who will forward them to the Chief Elections Officer.

Applications from other persons including freelance journalists are to be considered by ZEC itself without being referred to the committee.

The applications are for persons that wish to observe the conduct of voting on polling day as well as the counting and collation of ballots and was issued in terms of Section 40I (1a) of the Electoral Act.

Observers to be considered include those representing foreign countries or international organisations and foreign eminent persons, individuals representing local organisations and eminent persons from within Zimbabwe, and those representing bodies that exercise functions similar to those of ZEC and have been invited by the electoral body.

Also to be considered are individuals representing foreign countries or international organisations and foreign eminent persons that have been invited by the Minister of Foreign Affairs as well as those of individuals representing local organisations and eminent persons from within Zimbabwe who have been invited by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.

Accreditation fees for local observers would be US$10, those from the African continent US$100, and those from foreign embassies in Zimbabwe US$300 while those from any country outside Africa will be US$400.

The fees for local media practitioners accredited with the Zimbabwe Media Commission and working for foreign media houses would be US$100 as is the case with those from the African continent while local media practitioners accredited with the ZMC pay US$10.

However, observers from the African Union, the Southern African Development Community, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, the SADC Parliamentary Forum, the Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC, electoral bodies in African countries and embassies from African countries are exempt from paying any fees.

ZEC can also exempt any observers from payment of accreditation fees as provided in section 6 of the Electoral (Accreditation of Observers) Regulations 2013.

Veritas criticized the fees for discouraging local and international organisations from seeking observer accreditation saying they negatively impacted perceptions around the elections.

“Proper election observation enhances the fairness, transparency and credibility of elections and also encourages all parties contesting elections to accept the results. The African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance and the SADC Principles and Guidelines on Elections both emphasise the importance of independent observers in ensuring that elections are transparent, credible and democratic. Zimbabwe is a party to both those instruments,” it said.

The legal think tank said the fees discriminated between local and foreign observer more than the old fees and urged ZEC to revert back to the old fees in order to enhance the credibility of the 2023 general elections.

“Whereas the fees for accrediting local observers and local media practitioners remained the same at US$10, the fees for accrediting foreign observers from African countries rose fivefold, from US$20 to US$100, and the fees for accrediting foreign observers from non-African countries rose six-fold, from US$50 to US$300 [for embassy staff].”

New Ziana