27 November 2016 – There were a significant number of voters who were turned away for various reasons. Some wanted to vote at the wrong polling station, did not have appropriate identity documents, or were not appearing on the voters’ rolls. Those who turned up at the wrong polling stations were redirected to the correct polling stations…. Read More
PRELIMINARY STATEMENT ON THE CHIMANIMANI WEST PARLIAMENTARY BY-ELECTION
ZESN CONDEMNS VOTE BUYING AND INTIMIDATION IN CHIMANIMANI WEST
Harare – 22 November, 2016– The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) a non-partisan network of 34 member organisations is concerned by vote buying using food aid and farming inputs and the alleged intimidation of voters in Chimanimani West Constituency ahead of the Chimanimani National Assembly by-election… Read more
CSOs’ Communique: Towards Democratic Elections in Zimbabwe.
2 November, 2016
We, the undersigned Civic Society Organisations, having deliberated for two days at an All Stakeholders Conference convened by the Zimbabwe Elections Support Network (ZESN) in Bulawayo, note with concern the half-hearted attempts and lack of political will to reform the laws and institutions governing the conduct of elections in Zimbabwe. We note with concern, that in the absence of meaningful legislative, administrative and political reforms, the 2018 elections will not be free and fair…Read more
PRELIMINARY STATEMENT ON THE NORTON PARLIAMENTARY BY-ELECTION
Harare – 23 October 2016- The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) as part of its observation of the 22 October Norton by-election deployed 72 observers consisting of mobile and static observers. The static observers were deployed at every polling station in the Constituency whilst the mobile teams were roving around the Constituency assessing the political environment outside the polling stations…More
ZESN MIDDAY STATEMENT ON THE NORTON BY-ELECTION
Harare- 22 October, 2016 – ZESN has deployed 72 static and mobile observers to the National Assembly by-election in Norton Constituency to measure compliance of the election day processes with the Constitution and Electoral Laws. Observer reports have shown that voting started on time in all polling stations. The political environment in the constituency is calm and peaceful and voting is….Read More
ZESN’s CONCERNS ON THE PROPOSED TIMELINES FOR NEW VOTER REGISTRATION
HARARE, 17 October, 2016– The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) notes the announcement by the Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) that the Commission will commence a new biometric polling station based voter registration in 2017. ZESN calls upon ZEC to ensure that this crucial exercise is awarded adequate time to guarantee that the process is inclusive and comprehensive so as to safeguard against the disenfranchisement of any potential voters…Read More
ZESN CONDEMNS ELECTION RELATED VIOLENCE IN NORTON
Harare – 17 October, 2016– The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) a non-partisan group of 34 member organisations is concerned by continued reports of violence, intimidation and vote buying using food aid, residential stands and farming inputs in Norton ahead of the by-election scheduled for this upcoming weekend on 22 October 2016…Read More
ZESN CALLS FOR COMPREHENSIVE ELECTORAL REFORMS
Harare – 8 September 2016 – The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) is concerned by utterances attributed to senior Government officials in the media insinuating that there will be no more electoral reforms before the 2018 harmonised elections. The utterances come against a background of numerous calls by CSOs and 2013 regional observer groups for the full alignment of Electoral laws to the Constitution as well as for the creation of an enabling political environment…Read More
THE GENERAL LAWS AMENDMENT ACT FALLS SHORT OF EXPECTATIONS – ZESN
4 August 2016 – Harare – The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) notes the gazetting of the General Laws Amendment Act (GLAA) which introduces some amendments to various laws including the Electoral Act to bring them into alignment with the Constitution. ZESN believes that the Act does not sufficiently address fundamental issues related to the Electoral Act such as the right to vote, the special vote, delimitation and media access among other issues…Read More
ZESN URGES ZEC TO ADHERE TO PRINCIPLES OF ELECTION MANAGEMENT
8 July, 2016 – The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) urges the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to adhere to the principles of election management such as independence, impartiality, integrity, transparency, efficiency, professionalism and service-mindedness. This call follows the swearing in of new Commissioners to replace individuals whose terms of office expired in March 2016… Read more