The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has appealed to the government to institute a political and electoral reforms taskforce to address recommendations put forward by various observer missions who witnessed the July 2018 elections.
In a statement today, ZESN Director Rindai Chipfunde Vava urged government to consider recommendations made by the July 2018 election observer missions who unanimously advocated for electoral reforms.
“ZESN identified a number of key areas that require adequate reforms namely enhancing the independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission and other Chapter 12 institutions, reviewing results management and transmission systems, revising provisions around the delimitation of constituencies, tightening provisions on the role of traditional leaders.
“Furthermore, provisions must be put in place to regulate political parties and enforce the disclosure of sources of funding and the use of campaign funding,” she said.
Vava further advised government to revisit the Kgalema Motlanthe commission report which recommended for the establishment of a multiparty liaison committee to reduce tensions among political players.
Zimbabwe has been embroiled in a cycle of violence that left at least 12 people dead and scores injured when the security forces fired live ammunition to quell protests.
“The Motlanthe Commission had recommended the establishment of a multi-party reconciliation initiative, including youth representatives, with national and international mediation to address the root causes of the post-election violence.
“The Commission also recommended the identification and implementation of strategies for reducing tensions, promoting common understandings of political campaigning, combating criminality, and uplifting communities,” she said.
She pleaded with the government to reinforce the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission to ensure that it is fully capacitated to execute its mandate as spelled in the constitution.
ZESN’s call for a political reforms task-force reinforces wide calls for dialogue among political players to tackle the current economic disaster that is fast de-generating into a humanitarian crisis instigated by wanton human rights abuses spearheaded by the state.
