SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe
The process of accrediting local and foreign observers has begun, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) announced Thursday.
The Herald newspaper on Friday quoted ZEC spokesperson Lovemore Sekeremayi as saying local organisations and eminent person should direct their applications to an election office located in the province they propose to observe.
Sekeramayi also revealed in the same report that applications must be from organisations “registered as a private voluntary organisation in terms of the Private Voluntary Organisation Act or established under a Notarial Deed of Trust.
Non-governmental organizations, that are also members of umbrella groups, have to apply for accreditation separately from the main group. For example, each of the member NGOs that make up the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition will have to apply individually and not as part of Crisis.
Individuals who have been convicted of an electoral offence or any other offence for which the person has been sentenced to a term of imprisonment without the option of a fine, are barred from applying.
Independent commissions established by the Constitution and other State institutions should apply directly to the chief elections officer at the Commission’s headquarters in Harare.
Sekeramayi said foreign organisations and individuals should apply directly to the chief elections officer at the ZEC headquarters.
“All the applications, local or foreign, must be received at the ZEC headquarters not later than the fourth day before the first day of the special or ordinary polling.
“All applications must list the names and identity particulars of all individuals seeking accreditation,” the Herald quoted Sekeramayi as saying.
The accreditation fee for local observers and those from Africa is $10 and $20 respectively. Those from outside Africa will pay $100, local journalists working for foreign media $50, media practitioners accredited to the Zimbabwe Media Commission, $10.
SW Radio Africa could not verify whether observers from the United States and the European Union are welcome, as Sekeramayi was said to be out of office while Commission chairperson Rita Makarau was said to be in a meeting.
However earlier this month, two senior ZANU PF officials were quoted in different newspapers as saying foreign observers are not welcome.
On June 10th, ZANU PF national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo told EU diplomats that countries that imposed ‘illegal’ sanctions on Zimbabwe will not observe the forthcoming elections, according to the state-run Herald.
Moyo’s sentiments were echoed by the ZANU PF party secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa,who was quoted in a June 10th Daily News report telling the US, which has been urging Zimbabwe to allow international observers, to “go to hell”.
“They should allow us to travel all over the world. If they are imposing sanctions on us economically why should we allow them to come here? What do they want when they are punishing us? They can go to hell,” the paper quoted Mutasa.
Mutasa was responding to US State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki, who had said that the credibility of the country’s election will be greatly enhanced by the presence of international monitors, led by regional bloc SADC.
During the disputed 2008 presidential poll, observers from western states were barred by ZANU PF government embittered by targeted sanctions imposed on its officials.
Nixon Nyakadzino, of democracy lobby group Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, told SW Radio Africa Friday that it remains to be seen whether ZEC will refuse to be swayed by ZANU PF and accredit eligible foreign observers.
During the constitutional referendum held in March, only EU and US embassy staff already working in the country were allowed to observe the process. Nyikadzino said it was likely that ZEC may stick to this, to appease ZANU PF.