On 18 December Nomination Courts in Marondera, Chinhoyi, Gweru and Bulawayo
convened to fulfil Zimbabwe’s legal procedure in officially verifying and accepting aspiring
candidates’ nomination papers ahead of the coming National Assembly by-elections
scheduled for 3 February 2024. By-elections will be conducted in accordance with
Statutory Instrument 235 of 2023, Proclamation 10 of 2023 to fill the parliamentary seats
left vacant by the recalls of six (6) incumbent legislators. Vacancies occurred following the
recalls of Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) candidates on 10 November 2023 by the
party’s ‘interim secretary general’ who declared they had ceased to be members of the
party.

The recalls triggered the need for by-elections to choose new representatives in Mkoba
North, Goromonzi South, Seke, Pelandaba-Tshabalala, Zvimba East and Chegutu West
Constituencies. Among the recalled Members of Parliament is the CCC organising
secretary, Amos Chibaya, who is also Chief Whip of the party, and the party’s deputy
spokesperson Gift Ostallos Siziba, representing Mkoba North and Pelandaba-Tshabalala
respectively. Admore Chivero (Chegutu West), Tapfumaneyi Willard Madzimbamuto
(Seke), Oliver Mutasa (Zvimba East) and Stephen Chatiza (Goromonzi South) also ceased
to be members of Parliament for their respective constituencies on 10 November.

In line with its objectives, ZESN members observed the nomination processes at
designated Magistrates Courts. Due to resource constraints, ZESN members observed the
nomination process for parliamentary contenders only and excluded nomination sittings
for the twelve (12) Local Authority Councillors. To promote consistency across its
observation, ZESN agreed on a common framework and approach through which
members were guided in terms of gathering information on the process and outcome of
the nomination.

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The Zimbabwe Election Support Network ZESN) is a coalition of 37 Non-Governmental Organisations
(NGOs) which was formed in the year 2000. The major focus of the Network is to promote democratic
processes in general and free and fair elections in particular. Following an invitation by the Zimbabwe
Electoral Commission (ZEC), ZESN trained and deployed a total of 6,500 Short-Term Observers (STOs) to
observe the 23 August 2023 Harmonised Elections. These accredited observers were deployed to every
constituency, ward, district and province in the country to observe the political environment and all
Election Day processes.

In addition, ZESN partnered with the Election Resource Centre (ERC) in deploying sample-based observers
to observe Election Day processes. In Zimbabwe, national Harmonised Elections are conducted once
every five years. Three elections are held concurrently namely; the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local
Authority elections. The 23 August 2023 Harmonised Elections were the fourth to be held under this
system since the year 2008 and the third under a new Constitution which was adopted in the year 2013.
This report presents an account of the pre-election situation, the Election Day observations and the post-election environment in the country.

On 31 May 2023, President Emmerson Mnangagwa proclaimed the election dates. Under Statutory
Instrument 85 of 2023, the President fixed the 23 August as polling day and June 21 as the date on
which Nomination Courts would sit countrywide to accept applications by political parties and their
candidates to take part in the polls. In line with Presidential proclamation, the Harmonised Elections
were conducted on 23 August 2023. On Election Day, there was another statutory instrument to extend
voting in some constituencies to 24 August because of delays in opening of some of the polling stations
due to logistical hurdles such as the deployment of wrong ballot papers or missing ballot papers

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On December 9, Zimbabwe conducted by-elections in Lupane East, Binga North, Beitbridge West, Bulawayo South, Lobengula-Magwegwe, Mpopoma-Mzilikazi, Nketa and Cowdray Park. National Assembly and Local Authority vacancies arose following recalls of nine (9) incumbent legislators and 17 Councillors by the ‘interim secretary general’ of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Sengezo Tshabangu who declared that they had ceased to be members of the political party with effect from 3 October 2023. However, instead of nine (9) National Assembly by-elections, only eight (8) were conducted. This followed a High Court judgment which barred recalled legislators from contesting, ruling acceptance of their candidature by the Nomination Court was unlawful. Therefore, the Mabvuku-Tafara by-election was cancelled since only two candidates had been nominated for election in the constituency and Sakupwanya Pedzai of ZANU-PF was duly nominated and elected as the Member of Parliament for Mabvuku-Tafara constituency.

In the run-up to the election, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) volunteers and members observed the pre-electoral environment and other electoral related events and processes such as the sitting of the Nomination Court that was conducted on 7 November 2023. On election day, ZESN deployed 256 static and 38 mobile observers who observed the election day processes. These observations helped ZESN in determining whether elections complied with national, regional and international standards of electoral integrity.

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On December 9, Zimbabwe conducted by-elections in Lupane East, Binga North, Beitbridge West, Bulawayo South, Lobengula-Magwegwe, Mpopoma-Mzilikazi, Nketa and Cowdray Park. National Assembly and Local Authority vacancies arose following recalls of nine (9) incumbent legislators and 17 Councillors by the ‘interim secretary general’ of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Sengezo Tshabangu who declared that they had ceased to be members of the political party with effect from 3 October 2023. However, instead of nine (9) National Assembly by-elections, only eight (8) were conducted. This followed a High Court judgment which barred recalled legislators from contesting, ruling acceptance of their candidature by the Nomination Court was unlawful. Therefore, the Mabvuku-Tafara by-election was cancelled since only two candidates had been nominated for election in the constituency and Sakupwanya Pedzai of ZANU-PF was duly nominated and elected as the Member of Parliament for Mabvuku-Tafara constituency. Read More

Executive Summary

With a less than a month to go before the harmonised elections pencilled for 23 August 2023, July and part of August has been characterized by an unprecedented plethora of Court challenges ranging from Nomination disputes, eligibility to contest the elections, fielding of double and triple candidates. The effect of these electoral disputes forced the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to delay printing of the ballot papers.

While, the Supreme Court made a determination to uphold the High Court ruling on nullification of self-exiled former ZANU-PF Minister, Saviour Kasukuwere to contest as an independent candidate in the upcoming elections; a fresh Constitutional Court lawsuit was filed by Kasukuwere’s campaign chairperson, Jim Kunaka challenging the High Court’s decision.

All political parties are conducting door-to-door campaigns, social media promotions, star rallies, political gatherings, distributing posters and flyers as well as promotional campaign materials in the form of T-shirts, wrappers, and caps among others. Campaigns are in full swing as political parties prepare for 23 August harmonised elections where the incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa, the main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, the only female candidate Elisabeth Valerio and other nine contestants will contest in the presidential race. Incumbent Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) President Emmerson Mnangagwa hopes to secure a second term in office, while Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Nelson Chamisa and nine others aspire to clinch the title of Zimbabwe’s Head of State and Government.

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With less than two months before the holding of harmonised elections in Zimbabwe, the country is in election mode with evident electioneering from political parties and other stakeholders. Zimbabwe’s main political parties have already started preparing for the elections as shown by how they are mobilising citizens to register to vote and have started holding rallies and campaign activities. The Multi-Party Liaison Committees have been activated, with the police training its members in readiness for the polls.

The sitting of the Nomination Court was done on the 21st of June 2023 and some candidates failed to successfully lodge their papers for various reasons including the use of the bank transfer for payment. Some of these candidates have filed cases with the courts for redress. Candidates criticised the process for various irregularities and anomalies.

Although many preparations have been made for the elections, there is still much that needs to be improved for the environment to ensure peaceful, transparent and credible elections. Zimbabwe has an unfortunate history of contested electoral outcomes. This is because the legal, administrative and political frameworks still have gaps that need to be attended to in order to ensure the discharge of democratic elections. Some of the issues that still need to be attended to include the need to enhance the Independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), and other independent commissions connected to the electoral cycle, ensuring the full participation of women, the youth and persons with disability in the electoral process, as voters and candidates as well as the need to review the legal provisions around voter registration and the voters’ roll.

Although improvements have been noted in the provisions for civic and voter education, there are still some deficiencies that need to be addressed. In the past the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) had given organisations long term accreditation in 2017 to conduct civic and voter education but this decision was reversed in 2023 when the Commission announced that all organisations interested in conducting civic and voter education must apply for fresh accreditation, including renewal of accreditation for those who had it previously. This call was made on the 11th of May 2023, but almost two months later no accreditation has been done for any organisation.

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With an estimated three (3) months before the holding of harmonised elections in Zimbabwe, the
country is already in election mode with evident electioneering from political parties and other stakeholders. Zimbabwe’s main political parties have already started preparing for the elections as shown by how they are mobilising citizens to register to vote and have started holding rallies and campaign activities.

Although many preparations have been made for the elections, there is still much that needs to
be improved for the environment to ensure peaceful, transparent and credible elections. Zimbabwe has an unfortunate history of contested electoral outcomes. This is because the legal, administrative and political frameworks still have gaps that need to be attended to in order to ensure the discharge of democratic elections. Some of the issues that still need to be attended to include the need to enhance the Independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), and other independent commissions connected to the electoral cycle, ensuring the full participation of women, the youth and persons with disability in the electoral process, as voters and candidates as well as the need to review the legal provisions around voter registration and the voters’ roll.

Another contentious issue is on the Delimitation Report which was settled through the Courts. Although improvements have been noted in the provisions for civic and voter education, there are still some deficiencies that need to be addressed. On the legal framework, the Electoral Amendment Bill that was first gazetted on the 18th of November 2022 if passed without taking into consideration issues raised by other stakeholders will be very inadequate. It only addresses a few nominal issues and leaves out a host of substantive electoral reforms that stakeholders have been calling for. In addition to that, very little of the recommendations from the Election Observer Missions that were made after the 2018 elections has been implemented.

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The Zambia general elections held on 12 August 2021 were the seventh since the reintroduction of multiparty democracy in 1991. Hakainde Hichilema, President of the United Party for National Development (UPND) emerged the victor for the Presidential seat. This was the sixth time for Hichilema to contest as a presidential candidate and the third time in a row where he was contesting against Dr. Edgar Lungu. Hichilema won by a margin of 59.4% of the votes cast while the President of the Patriotic Front (PF), President Lungu received 38.3% of the votes and was seeking a second term.

Following the invitation from the Zambian Government, and during the period leading to the elections, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) deployed a learning observation mission which was accredited by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to observe the polling day processes and those at the National Results Centre. The ZESN Team comprised of three observers drawn from the ZESN board, the secretariat, and a representative of the ZESN provincial taskforce. To enhance the ZESN Team’s understanding of the socio-economic and political contexts as well as election-related procedures and processes, the Team interacted with various stakeholders’ mostly domestic election observer groups, media, and civil society organizations in Zambia.

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