By Hopewell Chin’ono
The Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) report on Zimbabwe’s 2023 elections came out, yet there is NO single opposition leader in Zimbabwe who has commented about it, but they call for the Commonwealth not to readmit Zimbabwe while ignoring the report that enhances their case.
Show me just one tweet from any Zimbabwean opposition leader talking about this COG report and I will donate US$1000 to a charity of your own choice, I can guarantee you that my money is safe.
This report is important because it talks about electoral reforms, the very thing whose absence has allowed ZANUPF to rig elections, yet no coordinated reform talk is coming from the opposition despite having this report and the SADC report talking about these issues.
We are three years away from a general election, one whose result we already know unless there are reforms.
This COG report talks about electoral reforms in different areas that are required to be fair in order to deliver a credible election, it notes the lack of any significant legislative reforms since prior recommendations in 2018.
The opposition told Zimbabweans that Mnangagwa had no opportunity to rig in 2023 and that its victory was certain, but that was all Alice-in-Wonderland stuff.
Mnangagwa rigged and he is still President.
The report highlights concerns regarding limited progress in reforming laws related to the registration of political parties, campaign finance, and more importantly, it talks about the independence or lack of independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
The report points and raises issues with laws enacted by Mnangagwa’s regime that affect journalistic freedoms and civic spaces making it possible for elections to be free, fair and credible.
It expresses huge disappointment over the regime’s lack of commitment to meaningful democratic reforms.
It specifically talks about the lack of judicial Independence noting concerns over amendments that allow the President to extend the terms of senior judges, which undermine judicial independence.
The judiciary has been used as a violent plank against the opposition by Emmerson Mnangagwa, and the fact that this report notes it, it makes it an urgent reform issue, but that requires a reform drive which currently isn’t there!
The report talks about the lack of civil liberties and abuse of parliament to enact unconstitutional laws like the “Patriot Act” and provisions under the Maintenance of Public Order Act (MOPA), it says these negatively impact on freedoms of association, assembly, and expression.
The report highlights that the so called media reforms have not achieved adequate pluralism, pointing that the state broadcasters still favour the ruling ZANUPF party.
This is a reform issue that the opposition and its leaders should have been pushing the majority of Zimbabweans get their news via radio and all radio stations are controlled by ZANUPF.
The one that is called “independent”, ZIFM, is owned and run by a ZANUPF member of parliament for Nyanga South, Supa Mandiwanzira.
The COG report goes on to talk about the abuse of the boundary delimitation and voter registration processes.
It recommends clearer and more constitutional boundary delimitation and more accessible voter registration processes to improve fairness and inclusion in Zimbabwean elections.
The report specifically talks about political intimidation that took place before the elections, it mentions the death of a Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) supporter in Glen View.
It also talks about how Zimbabwean police illegally arrested 41 citizen observers from the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) and confiscated their equipment on election night, undermining the transparency of the election and the observers’ role in verifying results.
The COG report also talks about election day delays and the logistical nightmare faced by Zimbabwean voters in urban areas.
It correctly says that there were substantial delays in the distribution of ballot papers, particularly in Harare and Bulawayo, and the report casts doubt on the efficiency of ZEC’s ability to plan and deliver a free and fair election.
It notes that the logistical nightmare created very long waits for voters and it raises questions about potential disenfranchisement.
The tragedy is that ZANUPF has read this report and it is now putting out cosmetic reforms around voter registration, the opposition is quiet, it hasn’t talked about the report and as usual, it will march into another rigged election unless it does something urgently!
I did mention that as of two months ago, the Zimbabwean main opposition had not engaged the Commonwealth at all since 2022 when the Commonwealth came to Zimbabwe to hear the attitude of Zimbabwean key players about readmission.
The only other time the Commonwealth spoke to the opposition through Nelson Chamisa was during the elections.
ZANUPF has been sending emissaries to the Commonwealth in London making its case. Zimbabwe’s attorney general led a delegation to London to lobby.
ZANUPF has been lobbying African and Caribbean Commonwealth governments who are now pushing for its readmission.
Without pushback Mnangagwa will be readmitted.
Zwnews
